The Portugal-DR Congo match in FIFA 2026 ended in a 1-1 draw. After this, an AI-generated fake picture of Virat Kohli-Anushka’s presence in the stadium went viral while they are in London.
The opening match of Group K at the FIFA World Cup 2026 ended in a 1-1 draw between Portugal and DR Congo at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Wednesday, June 17. Both teams played brilliantly and the match caught worldwide attention due to its intensity and the fan moments that went viral after the match. Joao Neves scored the first goal for Portugal in the sixth minute of the match. Then, in first-half stoppage time, Yoane Wiesa scored a historic equalizer for DR Congo. In the second half of the match, the DR Congo team emerged as a strong defensive force. He successfully held off the attacks of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal and secured his first point in the World Cup.
As the final whistle blew, DR Congo secured their first World Cup point after a 52-year wait. The victory was celebrated with great enthusiasm inside the stadium and in fan zones around the world. At the same time, despite having an excellent player like Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal had to be satisfied with a disappointing draw.
Kohli and Anushka’s picture went viral
After the tense and historic clash between Portugal and DR Congo, a picture of former India captain and star batsman Virat Kohli and his actress wife Anushka Sharma went viral. In this picture it was claimed that they were watching the match at NRG Stadium.
A user named ‘Central Cricket’ on X (formerly Twitter) shared a picture of the star couple and claimed that they were in Houston to support Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal team. Although Kohli has been a long-time fan of the Portuguese football legend, who is playing in a record sixth World Cup, his and Anushka Sharma’s claim of being there is completely false.
If you look closely at the picture, it is an AI-generated fake photo, created to deceive fans. At first glance, the presence of Kohli and Anushka seems quite real, but the lack of detail in the background and the impossibility of their presence in the stadium confirms that the picture is fake.
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are currently away from the public eye. They are spending quality time with their children in London. He has been living there since the star batsman retired from Test cricket. After being ruled out of the ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury, Virat Kohli had returned to London to spend time with his family.
Fans caught the trick: those with keen eyes pointed out the mistakes
People started raising doubts over the viral picture of Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma attending the Portugal vs DR Congo match in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Fans immediately started finding signs of AI manipulation in the photo.
Fans and cricket lovers on their X handles called this picture fake. Many people clearly pointed out signs of AI-generation, glitches in the look, and unrealistic detailing. At the same time, some mocked the poor quality of the edit and called it a humorous hoax.
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Virat Kohli is expected to return to action in the ODI series against England in July-August. After retiring from Tests and T20Is, the experienced Indian batsman has turned his attention towards ODI cricket. He aims to extend his illustrious international career until the 2027 World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Along with Rohit Sharma, Kohli remains a key part of India’s white-ball strategy. It will be interesting to see how this experienced batting duo fares in the run up to the 2027 World Cup, especially with fitness and injury management becoming increasingly important for their long careers.