Congo DR national football team
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The Congo DR national football team, nicknamed The Simbas (The Lions), is the national team of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football-Association. It was known as the Zaire national football team when Congo DR was known as Zaire (1971-1997). The team qualified for one World Cup in 1974, but went scoreless in three games. It lost to Yugoslavia 9-0 for the worst margin in World Cup history.
The team won two African Nations Cups: one as Congo DR (or Congo-Kinshasa) in 1968 and one as Zaire in 1974.
The team finished tied for second in its World Cup qualifying group, which was won by Ghana. Their top scorer in qualifying was Shabani Nonda, who plays in Serie A for AS Roma.
World Cup record
- 1930 to 1970 - Did not enter
- 1974 - Round 1 (as Zaire)
- 1978 - Withdrew (as Zaire)
- 1982 - Did not qualify
- 1986 - Did not enter
- 1990 to 1998 - Did not qualify (as Zaire)
- 2002 - Did not qualify
- 2006 - Did not qualify
African Nations Cup record
- 1957 to 1963 - Did not enter
- 1965 - Round 1
- 1968 - Champions
- 1970 - Round 1
- 1972 - Fourth place (as Zaire)
- 1974 - Champions (as Zaire)
- 1976 - Round 1 (as Zaire)
- 1978 - Did not enter
- 1980 - Did not qualify
- 1982 - Did not qualify
- 1984 - Withdrew
- 1986 - Did not qualify
- 1988 - Round 1 (as Zaire)
- 1990 - Did not qualify
- 1992 - Quarterfinals (as Zaire)
- 1994 - Quarterfinals (as Zaire)
- 1996 - Quarterfinals (as Zaire)
- 1998 - Third place (started qualification as Zaire)
- 2000 - Round 1
- 2002 - Quarterfinals
- 2004 - Round 1
- 2006 - Quarterfinals
Famous current players
- Lomana LuaLua
- Shabani Nonda
- Tresor Mputu
Trivia
- Facing a free-kick 25 yards out during the 1974 World Cup finals match against Brazil, defender Mwepu Llunga, upon hearing the referee blow his whistle, ran out of the Zaire wall and booted the ball upfield, for which he receieved a yellow card. This was voted the 17th greatest World Cup moment in a Channel 4 poll [link].
External links
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