World Cup 2026: Sébastien Desabre calls for positivity as Leopards struggle in attack

Sébastien Desabre has urged calm and optimism around the Democratic Republic of Congo’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup, despite his side failing to win any of their final warm-up matches ahead of the tournament.

The Leopards concluded their preparation campaign with a draw and a defeat, first holding Denmark to a 0-0 stalemate before losing 2-1 to Chile.

While the results have raised concerns among supporters, the head coach insists there is no need for panic as the team continues its development phase ahead of their long-awaited return to the World Cup stage.

Speaking after the two matches, Desabre acknowledged that his side are still a work in progress, but stressed the importance of maintaining a constructive mindset rather than focusing solely on results.

“It’s been a while since we last lost in regulation time. We have to stay positive. These are still friendly matches, with a lot of changes.

There are things that didn’t work. These aren’t official matches. But, like any team, we still have things to improve. Even when you play a good match like we did against Denmark, you always have to improve. We’re not ranked 46th in the world for nothing,” says Sébastien Desabre.

Across the two fixtures, one of the key concerns for the DR Congo coaching staff has been their lack of attacking output.

Despite featuring forwards such as Cédric Bakambu, Fiston Mayélé and Yoan Wissa, the team managed just one goal during the international window, with that strike coming from a defender rather than an attacker.

Desabre, however, has defended his squad’s offensive record, arguing that the broader context of recent performances should be taken into account.

“You have to look at the overall statistics. When you look at our recent matches, we very rarely draw 0-0. It’s difficult to score goals because the teams are well-organized. And even the teams that play against us find it difficult to score.”

The DR Congo head coach emphasised that the matches were used primarily for experimentation, including tactical adjustments and squad rotation, rather than finalised competitive structures.

Attention now turns to the World Cup itself, where DR Congo have been drawn into Group L alongside Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia. It represents a demanding challenge for a side preparing for their first appearance at the tournament in more than five decades.

Despite the difficult group, Desabre remains focused on maintaining belief within the squad as they prepare for the opening stages of the competition.