England's opponents: All you need to know about DR Congo

DR Congo are preparing to face England in the World Cup round of 32, marking their first appearance in the knockout stages since their debut in 1974, when they were known as Zaire. That tournament ended in humiliation, including a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia, and they failed to qualify again until now. Head coach Sebastien Desabre took over nearly four years ago when the team was in crisis and has transformed them. He led them to fourth place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and instilled discipline and tactical organization. Before the World Cup, they experimented with a back five, which they used in their first two group games: a 1-1 draw with Portugal and a 1-0 loss to Colombia. A switch to 4-4-2 against Uzbekistan brought a 3-1 win, securing advancement as one of the best third-placed teams.

Defensive solidity has been key – under Desabre, DR Congo have kept 29 clean sheets in 57 games. They rely on swift counter-attacks, utilizing the pace of forwards Cedric Bakambu and Yoane Wissa. However, weaknesses include a lack of games against top-20 ranked teams and limited playing time for many regular starters at their clubs.

Key players: captain and centre-back Chancel Mbemba (31), the most capped player; Noah Sadiki (21), a dynamic midfielder; Yoane Wissa, who scored three goals in the group stage despite injury struggles; and veteran striker Cedric Bakambu (35), nearing the country's scoring record.

Desabre is a Frenchman in his 11th coaching role in Africa. He has led DR Congo to successive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and now the World Cup. The team's only previous World Cup appearance was in 1974, marked by the infamous moment when right-back Mwepu Ilunga ran out of a defensive wall to kick the ball away during a free-kick against Brazil – a protest over unpaid wages and threats from President Mobutu. Since then, conflict, corruption, and poor governance kept them away. Now, with talent from the diaspora (only six squad members were born in Africa), DR Congo return. The match against England will be broadcast live on BBC One on 1 July.