AFCON: Desabre reveals DR Congo motivated to get down to business

The Democratic Republic of Congo national team head coach Sébastien Desabre says the Leopards are motivated enough to kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign in Morocco.

The Leopards will head into the 35th edition of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournament in the North African nation buoyed by the fact they had sealed a historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Nigeria 4-3 on penalties.

In Morocco, DR Congo will face Senegal, Benin, and Botswana in Group B. Despite the tough opponents, coach Desabre is adamant the Leopards will not fear anyone and their priority is to get out of the group stage.

Asked to explain how DR Congo are prepared to start off, Desabre said as quoted by Flashscore: “We’re in the mindset of a team preparing for one of the world’s biggest tournaments. As you know, we got the players back a bit late.

DR Congo first target is to get out of group stage

“We played a friendly, which went well, and it allowed us to give some game time to players who needed it. The squad is motivated and eager to get to Morocco to get down to business.”

He added: “Above all, it’s a lot of hard work. I’m well supported, with a quality staff and a government that’s very invested in the team. And, most importantly, there are some very talented players with a highly professional attitude.

“All these factors combined allowed us to put together a coherent project. We started at 75th in the FIFA rankings and now we’re up to 56th. There’s still a long way to go, but we’re moving forward. Congolese football, with its mix of dual nationals and local players, deserves this recognition.”

On what DR Congo is aiming to achieve in Morocco, he said: “We take it step by step. The first is to get out of the group stage. Right now, our only focus is the first match against Benin. After that, it’s knockout football.

“In this kind of tournament, anything can happen: you need to play well, have a bit of luck, and the right circumstances. The level at AFCON keeps rising, making every run even more demanding.”

On what lessons DR Congo learnt from their 2-0 friendly win against Zambia, he explained: “We have a very balanced squad. There were a lot of changes, both at kickoff and at halftime. What stands out to me is that, no matter the choices, injuries, or dips in form, we remain competitive.”

During the AFCON in Ivory Coast, DR Congo reached the semifinals.