DR Congo
FIFA #37
Africa's historically most successful nation returning to the World Cup after decades away. Will be loud, passionate, and guaranteed to surprise at least one team that thought this was an easy group.
π In the US
Based in the Washington DC area, which has one of the largest Congolese diaspora communities in the United States. The LΓ©opards will find a support network here that has been waiting patiently for this moment β and they will make absolutely certain the team knows they're there.
Style
Athletic and counter-attacking, winning the ball back with intensity and releasing quickly to forwards who thrive in space.
Rivals
No single great rival, but the memory of their 1974 appearance as Zaire β including a player kicking the ball out of a free kick wall against Brazil β haunts the record books and motivates everything since.
Home Base
The DR Congo is Africa's second-largest country and one of its most football-passionate β Kinshasa's football scene is chaotic, vibrant, and produces extraordinary talent from extremely difficult circumstances. The city of 17 million finds in football one of its most reliable sources of collective joy.
Human Rights
Freedom House
Political rights and civil liberties score (higher = more free)
Reporters Without Borders
Press Freedom Index ranking (lower = more free, out of 180 countries)
UN Human Development Index
Human Development Index score (higher = more developed, 0β1 scale)
Transparency International
Perceived public sector corruption β higher is cleaner
ILGA World
Legal status of same-sex relationships