Portugal Kicks Off World Cup Bid Against DR Congo in Houston
Cristiano Ronaldo starts his record-tying sixth World Cup as Portugal faces returning DR Congo in their opening match in Houston.

The pressure is on for Portugal. As Cristiano Ronaldo prepares to kick off his record sixth World Cup , it could also be the start of his final one. At 41 years old, even one of the game's all-time greats has to be seeing the end on the horizon. This is the only trophy that has eluded Ronaldo during his illustrious career, and the closest that he has come is a fourth-place finish in his debut tournament in 2006. While it's wild that Ronaldo is set to feature in 20 years of World Cups, after Lionel Messi scored a hat trick against Algeria on Tuesday , there's no reason to doubt that Ronaldo can produce against DR Congo's defense. His debut will also mean he joins his fellow ear-defining superstar as the only two players to play in six World Cups.
Despite ending the season with a muscular injury, Ronaldo is prepared to be a full go, with the reigning Premier League player of the year, Bruno Fernandes, who broke the league assist record, behind him. Portugal have the tools to go the whole way and win the tournament, but they'll need to avoid the pitfalls that have plagued some of the other top squads around the world, such as Spain and Brazil .
Facing a DR Congo side who are back in the World Cup for the first time in 52 years after making it through the interconfederation playoffs, this will be an emotion-filled affair,.
DR Congo return to the World Cup 52 years after a 1974 trip haunted by the threats and a vicious dictator Francesco Porzio
How to watch Portugal vs. Democratic Republic of Congo
Date: Wednesday, June 17 | Time: 1 p.m. ET Location: NRG Stadium -- Houston, Texas TV: FOX (Eng), Telemundo (Spa) | Live stream: Fubo ( Try for free ) Odds: Portugal -333; Draw +415; DR Congo +1105
Portugal vs. DR Congo predicted starting lineups
Portugal : Diogo Costa, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Pedro Neto, Cristiano Ronaldo
DR Congo : Lionel Mpasi-Nzau, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzabe, Chancel Mbemba, Steve Kapuadi, Arthur Masuaku, Ngal Mukau, Samuel Moutossamy, Noah Sadiki, Cedric Bakambu, Yoane Wissa
Portugal vs. DR of Congo pick, prediction
DR Congo has a stout side but Portugal are so talented at every level and even if this goes scoreless into the secoond half. Once Portugal gets to that second gear, thats when other teams should be concerned.. Pick: Portugal 2, DR Congo 0
Golazo 48 Nations: Follow the World Cup all summer long
Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.
Each day begins with Morning Footy , setting the stage with the latest news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for coverage of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as reaction to other marquee matchups.
The day wraps with Scoreline , a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.
Add CBS Sports on Google Join the Conversation comments
_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/portugal-vs-dr-congo-live-stream-how-to-watch-fifa-world-cup-odds-prediction-pick-lineups-channel/)._
Comments
Loading comments…
