Democratic Republic of Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre has expressed confidence that his team will emerge stronger despite their narrow defeat to England in the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Leopards were eliminated from the tournament after suffering a 2-1 loss to the Three Lions in Atlanta on Wednesday.
DR Congo made a dream start to the match when Brian Cipenga scored his first international goal after just seven minutes to give the African side an early lead.
England responded strongly, creating several scoring opportunities, but Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi produced a series of impressive saves to keep his side in front for much of the game.
Captain Harry Kane eventually restored parity for England with a header before scoring the winner five minutes from time with a powerful strike to send the European side into the Round of 16.
Despite the disappointment, Desabre praised his players for their performance and said the experience gained from facing one of the world’s top teams would benefit the squad in the future.
“We’re disappointed because we believed we could win. We played well, but we conceded two chances late in the game and one of the world’s best players punished us,” Desabre said after the match.
He added that the tournament had provided valuable experience for his young squad and insisted the team would continue to grow.
“We may have lacked a little experience, but that’s football. We’re learning, improving and we’ll continue to move forward calmly,” he said.
During the Press Conference, the coach was informed about the death of his father by the national team’s press officer.
Although their World Cup journey ended in the Round of 32, DR Congo impressed with their performances throughout the tournament, raising hopes for a stronger showing in future international competitions.
