2026 WCQ Playoffs: DR Congo ‘can do it’ against Cameroon – Rocky Bushiri

DR Congo national team defender Rocky Bushiri has remained confident they have what it takes to eliminate Cameroon from the FIFA World Cup 26 African play-offs and qualify for the global tournament, the first to feature 48 teams and three host countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The Leopards will face the Elephants in the must-win tie in the semi-finals of the African play-offs for the FIFA World Cup, in which a single spot at the FIFA Play-Off Tournament is up for grabs.

“These moments are fleeting, so we have to savour them,” Bushiri said as quoted by FIFA.com. “It would be crazy to let stress rob you of something so amazing.”

The Leopards were sitting on top of Group B when they faced Senegal at a packed Stade des Martyrs with three matches remaining. Despite storming into a 2-0 lead, they eventually fell to a 3-2 defeat, which handed the Lions of Teranga the initiative in their bid to book their ticket to North America on the final two matchdays.

Senegal was particularly hard to take

“I think we’ve had a great campaign, with seven wins, two losses and a draw,”  said Bushiri as quoted by FIFA.com. “The defeat against Senegal was particularly hard to take because we came so close, but we know the way things go in football. Senegal are a sensational side, too; I think they’ve gone the last two years unbeaten,” he added.

“We bounced back after that setback, with two wins and as many clean sheets in the most recent international window. I think that’s our team’s biggest strength: the group is well-structured and there’s a real sense of togetherness.”

On facing Cameroon, he said: “It’s hard to say what the key will be. We’re up against a strong Cameroon side with some top players, but the match is taking place on neutral territory so nobody will have the home advantage.

“Personally, I know Fabrice Ondoa, the back-up goalkeeper. I also have some Cameroonian friends, but they aren’t in the national team. I’ve shared a bit of banter with a close friend who came through as a professional with me, Logan Ndenbe. He’d like Cameroon to qualify, while I want to be part of the Congo DR squad that reaches the World Cup.”

DR Congo is going to give it everything

Asked whether DR Congo will reach the World Cup, Bushiri, who currently plays as a centre-back for Scottish Premiership side Hibernian, responded: “I’d like to think so. We’re going to give it our all and we believe we can do it. We’re counting on our fans to get behind us, as they always do.

“We hope they’ll all be there in Morocco. They bring the kind of good energy we all want and need.”

Bushiri was born in Belgium and played for their U-19 and U-21 teams, but he switched his international allegiance to DR Congo in March 2023, and made his full international debut for them later that year.

He has previously played for K.V. Oostende and Norwich City, spending almost the entirety of his spell at Norwich on loan at other clubs.

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