Fifa World Cup 2026: What you need to know about England opponents DR Congo
Who is the head coach of the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
This is Frenchman Sebastien Desabre’s 11th coaching stint in Africa.
The 49-year-old has led DR Congo to successive Africa Cup of Nations qualifications, reaching the semi-finals and the World Cup in 2023. They had previous successes in Uganda.
How did Democratic Republic of the Congo get into the last 32?
They earned their first ever World Cup point by drawing Portugal 1-1, but then lost 1-0 to Colombia. This left the DR Congo needing to beat Uzbekistan and did so 3-1 to advance to the last 32 as one of the best third placed teams.
Where can I watch Democratic Republic of the Congo?
Their last 32 match against England will be broadcast live on BBC One from 16:00 GMT on Wednesday, July 1.
The match will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app.
Give me information to impress my friends
Michel Kuka Mboladinga, the superfan who went viral for his remarkable patriotism during matches at the African Cup of Nations, has been included in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s official World Cup delegation at the request of the players.
Mboladinga has been wearing colorful suits since 2013, silently imitating the statue of revered revolutionary leader Patrice Lumumba with one arm raised during all matches.
Now give me a proper detail
Congolese proverb grow bananas slowly It emphasizes the virtues of patience and steady progress. But the national football team’s patience ran out and progress stalled during the 52-year period between World Cups (the fourth longest of any country). So far.
There was a determination to change the country’s World Cup narrative after their first match in 1974, making them a laughing stock. Zaire, then known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lost all three matches, including a 9-0 win against Yugoslavia.
Then came the famous moment when right-back Mwepu Ilunga lunged over the defensive wall and cleared the ball as Brazil prepared a free kick.
The stunned onlookers were unaware that this was an act of political protest. The players had learned that they would not be paid their expected salaries and bonuses, and Zaire President Mobutu had threatened them with exile if they lost by more than three goals against Brazil.
By clearing the ball, Ilunga hoped to waste time and be sent off. He received only a yellow card and Zaire lost 3-0; They were allowed to return home but President Mobutu cut off their funds.
Since then, the African champions in 1968 and 1974 have been sidelined by conflict, corruption, poor football management and lack of facilities.
Current head coach Desabre has brought in new talent from the vast Congolese diaspora – all but six of the World Cup squad were born in Europe – and the country is now seeing the fruits of his endlessly patient nurturing.
How has Democratic Republic of the Congo performed in previous World Cups?
The Central African country has only played in the World Cup once before, in 1974 when the country was named Zaire. They lost all three group matches without scoring a goal, including a 9-0 win against Yugoslavia.
