Democratic Republic of Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre has urged calm after the Leopards completed their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup without recording a victory, insisting there is no reason for panic ahead of the tournament.
DR Congo wrapped up their pre-World Cup campaign with a goalless draw against Denmark and a 2-1 defeat to Chile, results that have raised concerns among some supporters ahead of the country’s long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage.
Despite the disappointing outcomes, Desabre believes the performances should be viewed in context and has called for patience as the team continues to develop.
“It’s been a while since we last lost in regulation time. We need to stay positive,” Desabre said.
“These are still friendly matches with many changes. There are things that didn’t work, but these aren’t official matches. Like every team, we still have aspects of our game that need improvement.”
The French coach pointed out that even positive performances provide opportunities for growth.
“Even when we play a good match like we did against Denmark, we always need to improve. We’re not ranked 46th in the world for nothing,” he added.
One area that remains a concern is the team’s attacking output. The Leopards scored only once during the international break, with the lone goal coming from a defender. Forwards including Cedric Bakambu, Fiston Mayele and Yoane Wissa were unable to find the net in either match.
However, Desabre dismissed suggestions that the team’s attack is in crisis, arguing that a broader view of recent performances paints a different picture.
“You have to look at the statistics as a whole,” he explained. “When you look at our recent matches, we very rarely draw 0-0. It’s difficult to score goals because teams are very well organised. And it’s also difficult for teams playing against us to score.”
DR Congo return to the World Cup for the first time in more than five decades and face a challenging Group L campaign. The Leopards have been drawn alongside Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia, with qualification for the knockout stages expected to be fiercely contested.
Despite the mixed results in their warm-up matches, Desabre remains confident his side can rise to the occasion when the tournament begins and believes the lessons learned during the preparation phase will prove valuable on the global stage.
