‘They gave their best’: Congolese reflect on historic World Cup run
Key takeaways
- The Leopards’ first World Cup in more than 50 years united Congolese supporters, despite defeat to England.
- During this World Cup, our national team made us proud, as if nothing were wrong.
- The contrast with 1974 could hardly have been sharper.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The Leopards’ first World Cup in more than 50 years united Congolese supporters, despite defeat to England.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo The Leopards united a country scarred by conflict, disease outbreaks and political uncertainty [Erik S.Lesser/AP]By Prosper Heri Ngorora Published On 3 Jul 20263 Jul 2026Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – DR Congo’s remarkable World Cup journey may have ended with defeat to England in the last 16, but for many Congolese, the Leopards have rewritten the country’s World Cup story.
More than five decades after their only previous World Cup appearance, the Leopards united a country scarred by conflict, disease outbreaks and political uncertainty, mounting a fearless campaign that gave millions of Congolese a rare sense of unity.