Axel Tuanzabe has expressed no remorse for adding to the woes of his former Manchester United teammate and mentor, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Burnley defender played a pivotal role in DR Congo's surprising 1-1 draw with Portugal in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup in Houston.
Tuanzabe, who once shared a dressing room with Ronaldo at Old Trafford and frequently sought his advice at the Carrington training ground, set aside any admiration for the football icon during the match. His defensive efforts helped neutralize the 41-year-old Ronaldo, who struggled to make an impact and appeared a shadow of his former self.
The result was a bitter pill for Ronaldo, who is facing increasing scrutiny over his age and ability to perform at the highest level. Tuanzabe, however, remained unapologetic about his role in the outcome.
"Cristiano is still hungry, he still wants to play, he still wants to show everybody how good he is. In the box, he wants to get the goals, he wants to get to that magic number of a thousand. He will be disappointed, but that's my job," Tuanzabe said. "I'm sure Cristiano, wherever he goes, he'll bring a swarm of fans with him. But ultimately, we're just happy about the result."
In contrast, Congo teammate Ngaleyel Mukau was less restrained, taunting Ronaldo and revealing that the team did not devise a specific plan to stop him. "He's one of the greatest to ever play the game. So much respect to him. But to be honest, there was no plan, not really, because we know that he isn't the same as before. He's a bit older now. When you get old like that, it's not the same effort that you can make," Mukau said.
Ronaldo expressed his disappointment after the match, saying while signing autographs, "What was missing? Nothing was missing, that's football. Portugal could have won, but it could also have lost. It could have gone either way." On social media, he added, "It wasn't the start we wanted, but this is far from over. Heads up and focus on the next game."
For Tuanzabe, the result was a welcome boost after a difficult Premier League season that ended in relegation with Burnley. He hopes this performance will inspire Congo to produce more shocks in the tournament. "It's definitely a positive for me personally. Getting good results always feels good. And, look, it's a massive tournament. It's the biggest event in the world and we want to perform and do well in it. Our mission now is to qualify. We need one win, we've got two games to do that, to get the three points. And we're definitely going to go one hundred per cent at it, whether it be Colombia or Uzbekistan. We're going to go flat out and try to get it done sooner rather than later. So, yeah, we'll be recovering now and getting ready for that game," he added.
