England face a DR Congo side transformed beyond recognition from the team humiliated on the world stage over five decades ago.
Fifty-two years after their chastening World Cup debut, DR Congo have qualified for the knockout stages of a World Cup for the very first time.
Back in 1974, the nation competed under the name Zaire and suffered a catastrophic 9-0 defeat against Yugoslavia during a miserable group-stage exit.
Head coach Sebastien Desabre has completely transformed a squad that was in crisis when he took over nearly four years ago.
The 49-year-old Frenchman led DR Congo to fourth place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, instilling discipline and tactical intelligence throughout the squad.
Defensive solidity has been the foundation of their improvement, with DR Congo recording 29 clean sheets in 57 games under Desabre’s management.
Swift counter-attacking football has been central to their approach, with strikers Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa both capable of running in behind opposition defences at pace.
DR Congo drew 1-1 with Portugal, lost 1-0 to Colombia, then beat Uzbekistan 3-1 to progress as one of the best third-placed teams.
Yoane Wissa was the joint-top scoring African player in the group stage with three goals, despite a difficult club season following a move to Newcastle worth up to £55m.
“We’ve got him back to his best,” said coach Desabre, whose confidence in the 29-year-old forward appears fully justified after his tournament performances.
Belgium-born Noah Sadiki, 21, has added dynamism to DR Congo’s midfield and has been described as a £15m revelation for Sunderland with his energy and ball-carrying ability.
Captain Chancel Mbemba, 31, remains the team’s most-capped player and the defensive cornerstone despite spending two seasons as a peripheral figure at clubs in France.
Veteran striker Cedric Bakambu, 35, scored four times in World Cup qualifying and is on the cusp of becoming his country’s all-time record goalscorer.
All but six of DR Congo’s World Cup squad were born in Europe, reflecting Desabre’s deliberate strategy of drawing talent from the vast Congolese diaspora.
Superfan Michel Kuka Mboladinga, who went viral at the Africa Cup of Nations for his patriotic presence, was included in the official World Cup delegation at the request of the players themselves.
Since 2013, Mboladinga has worn colourful suits and silently imitated a statue of revolutionary leader Patrice Lumumba, with one arm raised, for entire matches.
The infamous 1974 moment when right-back Mwepu Ilunga charged from a defensive wall to kick the ball away during a Brazil free-kick has long defined DR Congo’s World Cup story.
Ilunga’s act was in fact political protest, as players had learned their wages would not be paid and President Mobutu threatened exile if they conceded more than three goals.
England’s round of 32 clash against DR Congo will be broadcast live on BBC One on Wednesday 1 July, with build-up beginning from 16:00 BST.
