DR Congo make historic knockout debut
The Democratic Republic of Congo have advanced to the World Cup knockout rounds for the very first time in their history. Sebastien Desabre led his side out of Group K as one of the top third-place finishers.
After a 1-1 draw against Portugal and a narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia, DR Congo needed a big result in their final group match. The team delivered emphatically by defeating Uzbekistan 3-1 to secure their historic spot in the round of 32.
Facing England in Atlanta
Up next for the high-flying Leopards is a massive knockout clash against England. This highly anticipated fixture will take place in Atlanta as DR Congo play a knockout match at a World Cup for the very first time.
But whilst this is an unprecedented run, it is actually the second time the country has appeared on football's biggest stage. Their only other World Cup qualification came 52 years ago, but the team played under an entirely different name.
The Zaire era
Back in 1974, the nation made continental history by becoming the first Sub-Saharan African country to qualify for a World Cup. But they did so under the name Zaire. That squad ultimately bowed out in the group stage after losing all three of their matches without scoring a single goal.
Name changes through history
Before adopting the name Zaire, the nation was known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo following its independence from Belgium in 1960. To avoid confusion with the neighbouring Republic of the Congo, people commonly referred to the nation as Congo-Kinshasa.
In 1971, dictator Mobutu Sese Seko officially changed the country's name to the Republic of Zaire. This sweeping change was part of a cultural campaign aimed at erasing European colonial influences.
The word Zaire itself was actually derived from a Portuguese mispronunciation of the local Kikongo word for the Congo River. The original phrase translates to "the river that swallows all rivers."
The nation held onto the name Zaire for over two decades until political upheaval completely reshaped the government. When Mobutu was overthrown by rebel leader Laurent-Desire Kabila in 1997, the country's name was immediately restored to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Modern-day identity
Known globally today as DR Congo, the nation is writing a triumphant new chapter in sports history as they prepare to take on Thomas Tuchel's side.
