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Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – DR Congo’s remarkable World Cup journey may have ended with defeat to England in the round of 16, but for many Congolese, Leopards have rewritten the story of the World Cup.
Fifty years after their first World Cup appearance, the Leopards united a country scarred by conflict, disease outbreaks and political uncertainty, launching a fearless campaign that left millions of Congolese unsettled.
“It is rare that I am proud to be Congolese. During this World Cup, our national team made us proud, as if there was nothing wrong. I believe I am witnessing the greatest generation in the history of the DRC,” Héritier Muyisa, a 28-year-old student in Bunia, told Al Jazeera.
From Zaire in 1974
The contrast with 1974 could not have been greater. Then playing as Zaire, Leopards lost all three matches without scoring, suffering heavy defeats against Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil.
“We were a big country back then. Losing heavy goals without scoring a single goal was like a curse,” Lukambila Jacques, 65, who watched the Leopards’ first World Cup campaign, told Al Jazeera.
No player has revitalized Leopards more than Yoane Wissa. His three goals made him DR Congo’s first World Cup player and the tournament’s top scorer. His superb header against Portugal ended a 52-year wait for a World Cup goal and convinced many fans that Leopards are the biggest football club in the world.
“I never expected that young people like them – like us – would make more than 100 million people proud,” Dorcas Mudimo, a 26-year-old resident of Bunia, told Al Jazeera after England’s defeat.
“It is a matter of pride for all of Central Africa.”
Making history
The Leopards’ run was built on milestones that turned hope into faith.
The victory against Portugal drew the attention of DR Congo and sparked celebrations from Kinshasa and Goma to Bunia.
“I thought we would be satisfied to qualify for the World Cup. But our players showed that we can compete with Portugal, Spain and other big countries,” Manassé Limbaya told Al Jazeera, describing the campaign as “successful” from the qualifiers onwards.
“We beat Cameroon and Nigeria before beating Jamaica in the warm-up. That’s when we knew this team could do something special.”
The Leopards had a warm-up against Portugal, beat Uzbekistan, and narrowly lost to Colombia before their dream came to an end against England in the round of 16.
“My heart was racing for the game against England. They have the best stars in the world, but I knew we would make it difficult for them,” Cephas Agbwabe, a resident of Bunia, told Al Jazeera.
The final whistle
Every game in DR Congo draws huge crowds to the Bunia stadium, where celebrations spill into the streets long after.
Against England, however, attitudes changed.
When the match ended, the excitement faded. When the final whistle blew, many fans stood in silence, while others walked quietly home in their Leopards shirts, trying to get a feel for the end of a campaign that had exceeded almost anything they had hoped for.
Despite ending Leopards’ dreams, England captain Harry Kane acknowledged the challenges faced by the Congolese team.
“We already talked about hitting the rock. That was our language before the match. We knew there would be a rock hard to break, and he proved it,” Kane said later.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre didn’t focus too much on the results and what his players got.
“It’s true that we are disappointed, because we believe we can finish,” the Frenchman told reporters.
“I think we played well. In the end, we lost a few chances. One of the best players in the world scored two goals against us.”
Desabre said the defeat reflects a positive margin rather than a positive one.
“It’s time to praise the players for what they’ve shown. Maybe we were hit with a little bit of knowledge at the end. That’s how football is. We learn, and we continue to improve.”
Pride endures
For supporters in Bunia, the relegation did not diminish Leopards’ achievements. 52 years after they left the last World Cup without a point or a single goal, they returned to football’s biggest stage and showed that they can compete with the most established teams in the world.
“It was the first time I heard my country’s national anthem at a World Cup final,” Agbwabe told Al Jazeera.
“I hope, one day, I will tell my children that I saw these good times.”
