Cedric Bakambu sank to his knees in the centre circle. Samuel Moutoussamy buried his face in the turf. Ngal’ayel Mukau bounced around like a lost atom.
The rest of them just ran — to corners, to colleagues, to goodness knows where. They hugged each other, every embrace its own little diorama of joy and release. When they noticed the Jamaican players on the floor all around them, beyond stricken, they hugged them, too.
It was over. One hundred and 20 minutes of suffering against a dogged Jamaica side, but that was the least of it. The Democratic Republic of the Congo had been waiting for this moment since 1974.
Finally, 52 years and countless heartbreaks later, they are going back to the World Cup after Axel Tuanzebe scored the only goal in extra time. The nature of the celebrations in Guadalajara — ecstatic, unbound — laid bare what it meant to the players.
“Honestly, I don’t have the words to describe it,” Real Betis forward Bakambu said in the Estadio Akron mixed zone after the dust had settled. “I was born in 1991. I’ve never seen the DRC at a World Cup. Now, to be part of the team that’s taking the country there? It’s incredible.”
The celebrations at the end were a release for DR Congo players (Simon Barber/Getty Images)
This wasn’t just for them. It was for Mwepu Ilunga, ridiculed around the world for running from his wall to kick away a Brazil free kick in 1974. It was for all those who gave their all for this team during the fallow years: Eugene Kabongo Ngoy, Dieumerci Mbokani, Issama Mpeko, and a hundred others.
It was for the fans who don’t remember 1974 — and for those who remember it too well. Zaire, as the country was known then, were the first sub-Saharan African team to reach the World Cup, but lost all three of their games in West Germany, conceding 14 goals and scoring none. It was a chastening experience, yet it felt like one they could learn from and use as fuel. With two Africa Cup of Nations wins in the six years before that World Cup, they had the look of a football nation on the rise.
Instead, they entered a dark age. The World Cup became a distant, melancholy memory and a dream, forever out of reach.
That all changed on Tuesday night.
They had come here with a sense of purpose, determined to finish a job they had started almost four years ago. The arrival of French coach Sebastian Desabre in August 2022 was a line in the sand — he has sculpted a smart, robust side, reinforced by a concerted recruitment drive in the Congolese diaspora.
Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki was born in Brussels and represented Belgium at youth level. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the former Manchester United full-back who now plays for West Ham United, grew up in Croydon and played for England Under-21s. Nathanael Mbuku won France caps in six different age categories before switching allegiances. There are countless more examples in the squad.
The new additions have slotted in alongside experienced players such as captain Chancel Mbemba, winger Meschak Elia, and Bakambu. The balance has been good and results even better: DRC have won 29 of their 48 matches under Desabre, the momentum always building towards this moment. It wasn’t pretty against Jamaica, but the Leopards held their nerve.
“Today you saw players who fight for their country, who sweat through the shirt,” Desabre said in his post-match press conference. “I’m very, very proud of them. They deserve so much recognition.”
DR Congo fans celebrate in the stands in Guadalajara (Luis Cano/Jam Media/Getty Images)
It is worth lingering for a second on the context here. DR Congo has been scarred by endless fighting involving rebel groups in the east of the country. DRC ranks 178 of 188 nations in the International Monetary Fund’s GDP per capita table. Life there is challenging for many.
Here, in sun-soaked Guadalajara, they were given something to celebrate. The fans gathered in the northeast corner of the Estadio Akron, sang and shook for 90 minutes before erupting at full time. Back home, the party will just be getting started.
“An important moment of communion,” Desabre called it. Moutoussamy, the central midfielder who plays for Atromitos in the Greek Super League, went further.
“The people deserve it, for everything they’ve been through over all these years, all the difficulties,” he said. “It’s a reward for those who have suffered, who are still suffering. It’s a little dose of joy.
“We want to bring a smile to our people’s faces. We want to make a difference in our own small way. Today, we’ve taken a big step.”
Thoughts will soon turn to the World Cup proper. DR Congo drop into Group K, alongside Portugal, Colombia and tournament debutants Uzbekistan. The schedule even holds a nice little circularity, bringing them back to Guadalajara, their new holy city, for the Colombia match on June 23. There is much to look forward to.
For now, though, they must enjoy the moment, enjoy the lifting of the weight.
“This is a battle we’ve been fighting for years and years,” said Moutoussamy. “There was a lot of pressure, a lot of tension, but we played with heart and character. It was the match we had to win and we won it. We’re going to savour this.”
