The DR Congo national football team formed in 1919, before Congo became independent. The team has played as Belgian Congo and Zaire before taking its current name. Congo affiliated to FIFA in 1962 and joined the Confederation of African Football in 1963.
Congo found success in its early years, winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 1968. The next year, Congo recorded their biggest ever victory in a 10-1 win over Zambia. From 1971 the team became the Zaire national football team. As Zaire, the team won the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations.
During this period of success, Zaire qualified for their first world cup finals. At the 1974 world cup the team faced Brazil, Scotland and Yugoslavia. The team lost all three games and did not score a goal. A 9-0 defeat by Yugoslavia was particularly painful. The game against Brazil was famous not for the scoreline but for the actions of Zaire player Mwepu Ilunga. Facing a free-kick by Brazil, Ilunga broke out of the wall and kicked the ball away before the Brazilians had touched the ball. The team has not yet qualified for a second appearance.
Ranked 84th by FIFA, the DR Congo national football team will need a good set of results to avoid dropping out of the top hundred.
World cup 2018
Fixtures to be announced.
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