What you need to know about England's opponents DR Congo
DR Congo have qualified for the knockout stage of the World Cup, a first for them, and it reflects a transformed team under coach Sébastien Desabre.
DR Congo, England's World Cup opponents, have made it through to the knockout round of 32. This is the first time for them since their World Cup debut in 1974 that they have reached the knockout stage. At the time, when they were known as Zaire, they had lost three group matches, including a 9–0 defeat against Yugoslavia.
Under the leadership of coach Sébastien Desabre, DR Congo has improved its performances. They achieved fourth place in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and have brought discipline and strategic thinking to the team. A 5-defender line was tried before the World Cup, which was maintained in the first two matches. Their defensive strength has been the foundation of their progress, as evidenced by 29 clean sheets in 57 matches under Decabre.Under Desabre, DR Congo have never lost to Europe-based players by more than a one-goal margin. Their fast counter-attacking tactics utilize the abilities of strikers Cédric Bakambu and Yoanne Wissa. Mental strength, which has often been lacking in the past, was developed during a lengthy qualifying process. DR Congo have not faced top-20 ranked teams in recent years, with the exception of Senegal and Morocco.
Team captain Chancel Mbemba, aged 31, is the team's most experienced and capped player. He remains important for his country, although he has spent limited playing time with clubs in France in recent years. Belgian-born Noah Sadiki has added dynamism to DR Congo's midfield since earning his first cap in September 2024.Bakambu, who is 35, is the oldest member of the team but is still effective. He has scored four goals in the World Cup qualifiers and is now close to becoming the country's all-time goalscorer.
This is Desabre's 11th coaching assignment in Africa. He has helped DR Congo qualify for consecutive Africa Cup of Nations and reach the semi-finals in 2023. DR Congo drew 1–1 against Portugal for their first points at the World Cup, but then lost 1–0 against Colombia. Next, DR Congo defeated Uzbekistan 3–1 to progress to the last 32.