TThe Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has not competed in a World Cup finals tournament for 52 years, but they are making up for lost time in North America. After a draw with Portugal, a narrow defeat to Colombia and a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, inspired by two goals from Ioane Vissa, they have already made history by securing their place in the knockout stages. Now they have to face England.
“We deserve to play England,” Wissa said when the match was confirmed. “We worked hard for this. You know, it’s not easy in our country. There’s a war going on in eastern Congo. Every time we put on this shirt, we think about them.”
It is noteworthy that the Newcastle striker’s first thoughts after the game with Uzbekistan were not about himself. They were near the house. The 29-year-old knows a thing or two about the situation there. In 2022, he spent part of his vacation in the North Kivu region. For a player of his level, this was an unusual decision. Eastern Congo is too often reduced to images of war, population displacement and minerals extracted from blood-soaked soil. Wissa used his platform to showcase something extraordinary: green hills, volcanic landscapes, lakes and endemic wildlife, revealing a part of the country with a beauty that rarely exists in the world’s imagination. He reminded people that Kivu is home to some of Africa’s most breathtaking landscapes.
Yoan Wissa (centre) scored three goals as DRC progressed to the last 32. Photo: Ronald Wittek/EPA.
In many ways, it is a heaven where people are doomed to experience hell. This gesture mattered. In Kivu, Wissa is admired not only because he scores goals in the Premier League. He is loved because he reminded people that their region was more than just a battlefield. And for the DRC, this World Cup was never just about football.
From the outside it is difficult to assess the real scale of the country. Covering an area of 905,355 square miles, it stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to volcanoes and highlands bordering Rwanda and Uganda in the east. This area is approximately 10 times the size of Great Britain, located in the heart of Africa. The population is 116 million people.
The provinces of North and South Kivu, including the major cities of Goma and Bukavu, are partially occupied by the M23 rebel movement, which is backed by Rwanda and runs the territory under a parallel administration. They are separated from the capital Kinshasa by almost 2,500 kilometers of tropical forest, rivers and bad roads.
Many residents have never been to the capital. Likewise, most Kinshasa residents have never traveled east. They often speak different first languages. However, many still refer to the Stade of Martyrs in Kinshasa., where the national team plays as a “home” team. That one word says almost everything about what this national team has become.
The DRC is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Africa. There are hundreds of ethnic communities. And hundreds of languages and dialects. To ensure cohesion, four national languages were adopted. There are different cuisines, customs and stories. And today there are deep political and social fault lines. The biggest story here is not sports. This is what the Leopards did for their country.
Eastern Congo has experienced successive wars for decades. Many people there have long felt abandoned by Kinshasa. Whenever violence intensifies, discussions about federalism, autonomy and the fragmentation of the country resurface. However, whenever the Leopards play, those divisions seem to be suspended.
After the draw with Portugal, celebrations erupted not only in Kinshasa, but also in Lubumbashi (a region of Katanga with its own history of secession), as well as Goma and Bukavu. The same thing happened after the victory over Uzbekistan, but with even greater intensity.
Fans of the DRC express delight when watching the actions of their heroes. Photograph: Arsene Mpiana/Reuters
Veron Mosengo Omba, the newly elected president of the Congolese Football Federation and former secretary general of the Confederation of African Football, said the scenes touched him: “Even in the occupied areas of eastern Congo you can see people taking to the streets to dance. It’s incredible… What these young players have given us is an unexpected gift.”
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi expressed a similar thought. “Every victory, every flag raised strengthens our pride, our national identity and the invisible foundations of our unity,” he said.
People sang the national anthem together. They waved Congolese flags. They danced until late at night. Whether they are under occupation or not, they proudly claim their Congolese identity. In short, football has achieved what politicians have been able to achieve for decades.
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In today’s DRC, very few institutions are trusted, despite the country’s political, regional and ethnic divisions. The national football team may be the most effective of them all. And the detachment itself represents a strong bridge between the country and its diaspora.
Twenty-one of the 26 players selected for this World Cup grew up outside the DRC. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe and Aaron Tshibola all played for England youth teams before representing Leopards and will now face the Three Lions on Wednesday. Others grew up in Belgium, France or Switzerland.
Congolese fans sang the national anthem together, waved flags and danced late into the night. Photo: Marie-Jeanne Munyerenkana/EPA.
For years, members of the diaspora have been criticized for being out of touch with the day-to-day struggles in their home country, but it turns out they are now the ones supporting the team in North America.
Although the players arrived safely in the United States, many fans who had waited their entire lives for this moment were unable to do so. The Trump administration’s visa restrictions, which affected several countries including the DRC, meant that most fans wanting to travel were unable to attend the tournament. Accredited journalists also faced enormous difficulties in obtaining visas.
Thus, the team found itself largely supported by the American diaspora: Congolese communities already live in North America. Houston, where the Leopards set up their base, became an extension of Kinshasa. Thousands came. Many drove for hours. Others crossed state borders so players wouldn’t feel alone.
The team, consisting mainly of players living abroad, was carried by fans who also live outside the country. Perhaps no image captures modern Congo better.
Whatever happens against Thomas Tuchel’s side, this World Cup has already been a success. Not only because the Leopards reached the 1/16 finals. It is also because, in the space of a few weeks, football has reminded millions of people that despite war, division, politics and history, they still belong to the same story: a common DRC.