‘They gave their best’: Congolese reflect on historic World Cup run

Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – DR Congo’s singular World Cup travel whitethorn person ended with decision to England successful the past 16, but for galore Congolese, the Leopards person rewritten the country’s World Cup story.

More than 5 decades aft their lone erstwhile World Cup appearance, the Leopards agreed a state scarred by conflict, illness outbreaks and governmental uncertainty, mounting a fearless run that gave millions of Congolese a uncommon consciousness of unity.

“It’s uncommon that I consciousness arrogant to beryllium Congolese. During this World Cup, our nationalist squad made america proud, arsenic if thing were wrong. I judge I americium witnessing the top procreation successful the past of the DRC,” Héritier Muyisa, a 28-year-old pupil successful Bunia, told Al Jazeera.

From Zaire successful 1974

The opposition with 1974 could hardly person been sharper. Then playing arsenic Zaire, the Leopards mislaid each 3 matches without scoring, suffering dense defeats to Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil.

“We were a large federation backmost then. Losing by specified dense people lines without scoring a azygous extremity felt similar a curse,” Lukambila Jacques, 65, who watched the Leopards’ archetypal World Cup campaign, told Al Jazeera.

No subordinate embodied the Leopards’ revival much than Yoane Wissa. His 3 goals made him DR Congo’s archetypal World Cup scorer and the country’s starring scorer successful the tournament’s history. His towering header against Portugal ended a 52-year hold for a World Cup extremity and convinced galore supporters that the Leopards belonged connected football’s biggest stage.

“I didn’t expect young radical similar them – similar america – to marque much than 100 cardinal radical proud,” Dorcas Mudimo, a 26-year-old nonmigratory of Bunia, told Al Jazeera aft the decision to England.

“It’s a root of pridefulness for the full of Central Africa.”

Making history

The Leopards’ tally was built connected a bid of milestones that steadily transformed anticipation into belief.

The breakthrough against Portugal earned DR Congo a gully and sparked celebrations from Kinshasa and Goma to Bunia.

In Bunia, since the commencement of the World Cup, galore fans had been celebrating aft each DR Congo match, but the crippled against England brought galore streets to a standstill [Prosper Heri/Al Jazeera]

“I thought we’d beryllium contented conscionable to suffice for the World Cup. But our players showed we could vie with Portugal, Spain and different large nations,” Manassé Limbaya told Al Jazeera, describing the run arsenic “stellar” from the qualifiers onwards.

“We bushed Cameroon and Nigeria earlier overcoming Jamaica successful the intercontinental playoffs. That’s erstwhile we knew this squad was susceptible of thing special.”

The Leopards drew with Portugal, bushed Uzbekistan, and narrowly mislaid to Colombia earlier their imagination ended against England successful the circular of 16.

“My bosom was racing passim the lucifer against England. They person world-class stars, but I knew we would springiness them a hard time,” Cephas Agbwabe, a nonmigratory of Bunia, told Al Jazeera.

Final whistle

Every DR Congo lucifer drew packed crowds to Bunia’s viewing centres, wherever celebrations often spilled into the streets agelong aft the last whistle.

Against England, however, the temper shifted.

As the lucifer slipped away, the cheers faded. When the last whistle blew, galore supporters stood silently, portion others softly walked location successful their Leopards shirts, trying to sorb the extremity of a run that had exceeded astir each expectation.

Despite ending the Leopards’ dream, England skipper Harry Kane acknowledged the situation posed by the Congolese side.

“We spoke earlier astir pounding the rock. That was our motto earlier the game. We knew determination was going to beryllium a pugnacious stone to interruption down, and they proved it,” Kane said afterwards.

DR Congo manager Sebastien Desabre focused little connected the effect and much connected what his players had achieved.

Every DR Congo lucifer drew packed crowds to Bunia’s viewing centres, wherever celebrations often spilled into the streets agelong aft the last whistle [Prosper Heri/Al Jazeera]

“It’s existent that we’re disappointed, due to the fact that we believed we could bash it,” the Frenchman told reporters.

“I deliberation we played a bully match. In the end, we conceded a fewer chances. One of the champion players successful the satellite scored 2 goals against us.”

Desabre said the decision reflected good margins alternatively than a gulf successful quality.

“It’s clip to springiness the players recognition for what they’ve shown. We were possibly beaten by a small spot of acquisition successful the closing stages. That’s the quality of football. We learn, and we support improving.”

Pride endures

For supporters successful Bunia, elimination did small to diminish what the Leopards had achieved. Fifty-two years aft leaving their lone erstwhile World Cup without a constituent oregon a goal, they returned to football’s biggest signifier and showed they could vie with immoderate of the world’s astir established teams.

“It was the archetypal clip I’d heard my country’s nationalist anthem astatine a World Cup finals,” Agbwabe told Al Jazeera.

“I hope, 1 day, I’ll archer my children I witnessed these glorious moments.”