Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – DR Congo’s outstanding World Cup journey might have ended with defeat to England within the final 16, however for a lot of Congolese, the Leopards have rewritten the nation’s World Cup story.
Greater than 5 a long time after their solely earlier World Cup look, the Leopards united a rustic scarred by battle, illness outbreaks and political uncertainty, mounting a fearless marketing campaign that gave tens of millions of Congolese a uncommon sense of unity.
“It’s uncommon that I really feel proud to be Congolese. Throughout this World Cup, our nationwide group made us proud, as if nothing have been mistaken. I consider I’m witnessing the best technology within the historical past of the DRC,” Héritier Muyisa, a 28-year-old scholar in Bunia, advised Al Jazeera.
From Zaire in 1974
The distinction with 1974 may hardly have been sharper. Then enjoying as Zaire, the Leopards misplaced all three matches with out scoring, struggling heavy defeats to Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil.
“We have been an important nation again then. Dropping by such heavy rating strains with out scoring a single aim felt like a curse,” Lukambila Jacques, 65, who watched the Leopards’ first World Cup marketing campaign, advised Al Jazeera.
No participant embodied the Leopards’ revival greater than Yoane Wissa. His three objectives made him DR Congo’s first World Cup scorer and the nation’s main scorer within the event’s historical past. His towering header in opposition to Portugal ended a 52-year await a World Cup aim and satisfied many supporters that the Leopards belonged on soccer’s greatest stage.
“I didn’t anticipate younger folks like them – like us – to make greater than 100 million folks proud,” Dorcas Mudimo, a 26-year-old resident of Bunia, advised Al Jazeera after the defeat to England.
“It’s a supply of pleasure for the entire of Central Africa.”
Making historical past
The Leopards’ run was constructed on a sequence of milestones that steadily remodeled hope into perception.
The breakthrough in opposition to Portugal earned DR Congo a draw and sparked celebrations from Kinshasa and Goma to Bunia.
“I assumed we’d be content material simply to qualify for the World Cup. However our gamers confirmed we may compete with Portugal, Spain and different main nations,” Manassé Limbaya advised Al Jazeera, describing the marketing campaign as “stellar” from the qualifiers onwards.
“We beat Cameroon and Nigeria earlier than overcoming Jamaica within the intercontinental playoffs. That’s once we knew this group was able to one thing particular.”
The Leopards drew with Portugal, beat Uzbekistan, and narrowly misplaced to Colombia earlier than their dream ended in opposition to England within the spherical of 16.
“My coronary heart was racing all through the match in opposition to England. They’ve world-class stars, however I knew we’d give them a tough time,” Cephas Agbwabe, a resident of Bunia, advised Al Jazeera.
Closing whistle
Each DR Congo match drew packed crowds to Bunia’s viewing centres, the place celebrations usually spilled into the streets lengthy after the ultimate whistle.
Towards England, nevertheless, the temper shifted.
Because the match slipped away, the cheers light. When the ultimate whistle blew, many supporters stood silently, whereas others quietly walked dwelling of their Leopards shirts, making an attempt to soak up the top of a marketing campaign that had exceeded virtually each expectation.
Regardless of ending the Leopards’ dream, England captain Harry Kane acknowledged the problem posed by the Congolese facet.
“We spoke earlier than about pounding the rock. That was our motto earlier than the sport. We knew there was going to be a troublesome rock to interrupt down, they usually proved it,” Kane stated afterwards.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre centered much less on the consequence and extra on what his gamers had achieved.
![Every Leopards match drew packed crowds to Bunia's viewing centres, where celebrations often spilled into the streets long after the final whistle [Prosper Heri/Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/download-2-1783044538.jpg?resize=770%2C578&quality=80)
“It’s true that we’re upset, as a result of we believed we may do it,” the Frenchman advised reporters.
“I feel we performed match. In the long run, we conceded a couple of probabilities. Probably the greatest gamers on this planet scored two objectives in opposition to us.”
Desabre stated the defeat mirrored high quality margins somewhat than a gulf in high quality.
“It’s time to present the gamers credit score for what they’ve proven. We have been maybe crushed by somewhat little bit of expertise within the closing levels. That’s the character of soccer. We study, and we maintain enhancing.”
Delight endures
For supporters in Bunia, elimination did little to decrease what the Leopards had achieved. Fifty-two years after leaving their solely earlier World Cup with no level or a aim, they returned to soccer’s greatest stage and confirmed they might compete with among the world’s most established groups.
“It was the primary time I’d heard my nation’s nationwide anthem at a World Cup finals,” Agbwabe advised Al Jazeera.
“I hope, someday, I’ll inform my kids I witnessed these wonderful moments.”
