Ronaldo Struggles as World Cup Superstars Shine

At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at the 2026 World Cup carrying the weight of a record that no footballer has ever claimed — a goal in six different World Cups — only to find that ambition and opportunity do not always converge. On a night when his peers had already written their names into history, Portugal drew 1-1 with DR Congo in Houston, and the game's most decorated scorer could not find the net. It is a moment that invites reflection not only on the limits of individual greatness, but on how the presence of a legend can reshape the space around him.