DR Congo: Sébastien Desabre sets course ahead of AFCON 2025
Semi-finalists at the last edition, the DRC approaches AFCON 2025 with ambition but caution, determined to get through the group stage before dreaming bigger.
A few days before the kick-off of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is fine‑tuning its final preparations. Semi-finalists in the previous edition, the Leopards enter this new tournament with ambition, but also caution.
The national coach, Sébastien Desabre, made a point of reminding the group’s priority: getting past the first round. “The essential thing is first to get out of the group stage, because nothing is ever simple in Africa,” he said in remarks relayed by Africatopsports. Drawn into a fairly strong Group D, the Congolese will notably have to face Senegal, the 2021 African champions, and Benin, a team that has been steadily improving.
The French coach nevertheless says he is optimistic about his team’s momentum. The recent victories against Cameroon and Nigeria, he believes, attest to the progress made. “We have shown that we have resources. Many players are very young, some barely in their early twenties. That points to a promising future,” he emphasized.
That said, Desabre warns against any overconfidence. “We must stay clear‑headed. In a competition like this, every match requires starting from zero,” the coach insisted. First test: on December 23 against the Benin Cheetahs.
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