Portugal Miss Group Top Spot After Colombia Draw; Ronaldo vs Messi Now Possible Only in FIFA World Cup Final

June 28, 2026: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will not meet in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages unless both teams reach the final. Portugal's 0-0 draw against Colombia on Sunday meant they finished second in Group K instead of topping the table. Had Portugal won the group like Argentina, football fans could have witnessed another iconic Ronaldo-Messi showdown in the quarter-finals.

Instead, Portugal now face Croatia in the Round of 32. If they progress, they will take on Spain in the Round of 16. As a result, the legendary rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi can now only be renewed if Portugal and Argentina both reach the World Cup final.

Meanwhile, DR Congo created history by registering their first-ever FIFA World Cup victory. The African nation defeated tournament debutants Uzbekistan 3-1 to book their place in the knockout stage after returning to the competition for the first time in 52 years.

Colombia Dominates Portugal but Settles for a Goalless Draw

Although the match ended without a goal, Colombia were the better side throughout the contest. They controlled possession, created more chances, and kept Portugal under constant pressure from start to finish.

Portugal's midfield was forced to stay deep for most of the game to help the defence. Ronaldo, who played as the central striker, had very little involvement in attack. The Portuguese captain managed just one shot during the entire 90 minutes and touched the ball only twice inside Colombia's penalty area.

Colombia repeatedly threatened through James Rodriguez, who created five chances from open play and also tested the goalkeeper with a shot. Luis Diaz, Jhon Arias, and Jhon Cordoba also caused constant problems for Portugal's defence with their attacking runs and movement.

🇵🇹 Portugal 0️⃣–0️⃣ Colombia 🇨🇴

A Hard Fought Battle Ends In A Goalless Draw As Both Teams Share The Points After A Tense 90 minutes ~ pic.twitter.com/4lrP0Wfl1L

— Md Alamin (@alaminmd_) June 28, 2026

Overall, Colombia finished with 24 shots compared to Portugal's 13. Despite their dominance, they could not find the breakthrough. Deep into stoppage time, Davinson Sanchez thought he had scored the winner, but the goal was ruled out for offside by the narrowest of margins.

Even though they were left frustrated by the result, Colombia still finished as Group K winners with seven points from three matches. They will now face Ghana in the Round of 32. Portugal, who collected five points from one win and two draws, will meet Luka Modric's Croatia in the knockout round.

DR Congo Script History With First World Cup Victory

DR Congo celebrated a historic milestone by claiming their first-ever FIFA World Cup win. The African side had endured a difficult start to their World Cup history, losing all three matches during their only previous appearance in 1974.

This year's campaign also began with mixed results. They earned an impressive 1-1 draw against Portugal before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia in their second group match.

However, at Atlanta Stadium, DR Congo finally made history with a memorable 3-1 comeback victory over Uzbekistan, securing qualification for the Round of 32.

Second-Half Comeback Seals Knockout Spot

Uzbekistan made the brighter start and took the lead in the 10th minute through Eldor Shomurodov. The newcomers looked on course for their first World Cup points before DR Congo turned the match around after the break.

Ivan Wisser levelled the score from the penalty spot in the 68th minute to give DR Congo fresh hope. Fiston Mayele then completed the comeback with a goal in the 78th minute before Wisser added his second in stoppage time to seal a convincing 3-1 victory.

The win secured DR Congo's place in the Round of 32 and marked the nation's first victory in FIFA World Cup history. For Uzbekistan, the defeat ended a disappointing debut campaign, with the team losing all three group-stage matches to bow out of the tournament.