The England team is rated higher than the DRC in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, but many experts believe that the "Three Lions" will face one of the most difficult opponents in the tournament.
DRC Congo is not considered a phenomenon thanks to their explosive playing style, but they impress with discipline, patience and the ability to take advantage of opportunities. Coach Sebastien Desabre's team proved that from the group stage when they drew with Portugal, defeated Uzbekistan and only succumbed to Colombia in the final minutes.
Against Portugal, the DRC made Cristiano Ronaldo almost "die off". The central defender duo Chancel Mbemba and Axel Tuanzebe completely blocked CR7, causing Portugal to only have one shot on target throughout the match.
Even when they could not win against Colombia, the African representative still showed a clear identity with a defensive counter-attacking style and an excellent performance by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
The victory over Uzbekistan helped the DRC win the right to enter the World Cup knockout round for the first time in history, creating a memorable milestone after more than half a century of waiting.
The biggest strength of the African team lies in the defense system. Under Desabre in the past 4 years, the DRC has never lost by more than a goal difference. This team is ready to give up ball control, maintain a low formation and wait for an opportunity to launch fast counter-attacks.
In the first two legs, Desabre used a five-defender formation with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Arthur Masuaku taking charge of the two wings. The midfield focused on protecting the center, while the task of creating differentiation was assigned to the forwards.
This is considered a significant challenge for the England team. Despite winning 2-0 against Panama to top the group, coach Thomas Tuchel's team is still questioned about their creativity in attack. Similar problems once caused England many difficulties against Ghana in the group stage.
In addition to being solid in defense, the Democratic Republic of Congo also possesses many players with experience playing in Europe such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe, Chancel Mbemba, Arthur Masuaku, Yoane Wissa or Gael Kakuta.
The most notable is Yoane Wissa. The 29-year-old striker has scored 3 goals in 3 matches at the 2026 World Cup, a record equal to Harry Kane and more than Cristiano Ronaldo. After scoring against Portugal, Wissa continued to shine with a double against Uzbekistan, becoming the most dangerous spearhead of the African team.
Meanwhile, Desabre also showed tactical flexibility. In the match against Uzbekistan, he switched to a four-defender system and brought on Fiston Mayele, Nathan Mbuku and Brian Cipenga. These adjustments helped the DRC significantly improve its attacking power and bring back a historic victory.
With a tight defensive style, sharp counter-attacking ability and disciplined fighting spirit, the DRC is predicted to bring many difficulties to the England team. If they do not soon improve their ability to penetrate the opponent's defense, Tuchel's army could completely become the next victim of the "Foxes".
