DR Congo seek to build a ‘Dream Team’ with European roots for the World Cup | OneFootball

After qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, the African side launched a charm offensive to bring in gems playing in France and England. The goal: not just make up the numbers in Group K, which they share with Colombia and Portugal.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is living a dream it does not want to wake up from. After finally shaking the curse and qualifying for its second World Cup after more than half a century (the last time was in 1974), the Africans do not want to head to North America just to fill out the field. That is why coach Sébastien Desabre and the federation got to work on an ambitious plan: grant citizenship to more than ten footballers who are shining in Europe but have Congolese roots.

The euphoria after beating Jamaica in the playoff is still lingering, but in football you cannot live off memories, and the “Leopards” are already looking under every rock to strengthen the squad. The move is aimed at players born or raised in the Old Continent, mainly in the French and English leagues, who have not yet made their senior national-team debuts and are eligible to wear Congo’s shirt.

On the list of “possibles” are names that command respect and would give a huge boost in quality to the core already led by veterans Chancel Mbemba and Cédric Bakambu. Among those being targeted are:

The strategy is crystal clear: make the most of their European development to build a team capable of springing a surprise. It will not be easy, because at the World Cup they were drawn into Group K, a tough section where they will have to face star-studded Portugal, an always-dangerous Colombia, and a tough Uzbekistan.

In Congo, they know they already have enough to compete, but with these luxury “reinforcements” they dream of reaching the knockout stage for the first time in their history and no longer being the tournament’s Cinderella.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.