KINSHASA — DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi called on the nation to rally behind the national team ahead of their crucial World Cup Group K match against Uzbekistan in Atlanta, posting an impassioned message on the presidency’s X account on Saturday.
“You will not be alone,” Tshisekedi wrote, saying more than 100 million Congolese at home and abroad would be behind the Leopards. He framed the game as more than sport “a moment of national unity” when the country looks “in the same direction, with the same passion, the same hope, and the same love for the flag,” and urged citizens to mobilize responsibly to push the team toward victory.
DR Congo sit on one point from two games after drawing with Portugal and narrowly losing to Colombia, and must beat Uzbekistan, who have two losses so far, to remain in the tournament. Their progress has been a surprise: the team reached the World Cup after advancing from playoffs for the best runners-up in African qualifying, and this is DR Congo’s first World Cup appearance since 1974, when the nation competed as Zaire.