One previous World Cup — Germany 1974, played as Zaire and the first sub-Saharan African side to reach the finals; 2026 is the second and the first under the name DR Congo, ending a 52-year wait
The Leopards' in-form forward — a Premier League finisher with Newcastle, dangerous off either flank or through the middle, and one of the most recognisable names in the 26.
The captain and record-holder; marshals the back line in 2026 a long way clear of the field
The nation's all-time top scorer; Cédric Bakambu (21) goes to 2026 one strike short of the mark
⚠ The most-used eleven in recent matches under Sébastien Desabre (June 2026) — a snapshot of recent form, never a forecast.
| PLAYER | POS | ERA | CAPS | GLS | FILE NOTE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ndaye Mulamba #13 | FW | 1971–1978 | 12 | 11 | Scored nine at the 1974 Cup of Nations — still the single-tournament record — then captained Zaire at the World Cup. |
| Kazadi Mwamba #1 | GK | 1967–1976 | 31 | 0 | Twice a continental champion in goal; later voted his country's keeper of the century. |
| Mwepu Ilunga #2 | DF | 1968–1976 | 30 | 1 | Authored 1974's most replayed moment — booting a free-kick away before the whistle, baffling the world. |
| Kembo Uba-Kembo #9 | FW | 1968–1976 | 13 | 6 | His brace against Morocco booked Zaire's ticket to Germany; a one-club man at AS Vita. |
| Dieumerci Mbokani #9 | FW | 2005–2022 | 49 | 22 | The record marksman — a powerful No. 9 who carried the Leopards' attack for over a decade. |
| Shabani Nonda #9 | FW | 1998–2010 | 28 | 11 | A globe-trotting striker from Monaco to Roma, and one of the finest finishers of his generation. |
| Lomana LuaLua #11 | FW | 2002–2012 | 31 | 7 | Premier League pace and somersault celebrations — flair made flesh in the early 2000s. |
| Trésor Mputu #10 | MF | 2004–2015 | 40 | 9 | The home-grown maestro who stayed loyal to TP Mazembe and a king of the African club game. |
| Yannick Bolasie #7 | FW | 2013–2021 | 51 | 10 | Direct, unpredictable and box-office on the wing through the 2015 bronze-medal run. |
| Cédric Bakambu #17 | FW | 2015– | 69 | 21 | Still going in 2026, one goal shy of the all-time record and a leader of the new Leopards. |
Half a century in the wilderness, finally over. The Leopards of 1974 were pioneers — sub-Saharan Africa's first at a World Cup, and the butt of a famous joke they never deserved. The 2026 vintage, marshalled by record-man Mbemba and stocked with Premier League names, returns to settle an old score. A historian's favourite: a story of pride, a long exile, and an overdue homecoming.