The Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) is returning to the World Cup stage after a hiatus of more than 50 years. As Africa’s most populous country, it has enormous soccer talent and is eager to show what it can do. Its first match against Portugal will be a true test of its quality.

Coach Sébastien Desabre named three goalkeepers to the Léopards’ roster: Lionel Mpasi, Timothy Fayulu, and Matthieu Epolo. The DR Congo qualified with a dramatic 4-3 victory on penalty kicks against Nigeria in the intercontinental playoff—Mpasi played a decisive role in the win. In Group E, the Léopards will face Portugal, Uruguay, and Tanzania.

Mpasi, 31, born in Meaux near Paris to Congolese parents, is the backbone of the Léopards’ goal. As a teenager, he played for Paris Saint-Germain and progressed through the French youth national teams up to the U18 level, but ultimately chose to represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His journey through club soccer has been a long one: via Toulouse and Rodez Aveyron, where he established himself as a reliable goalkeeper over many years in Ligue 2, until he moved to Le Havre in Ligue 1 in July 2025. With 25 international caps, he is the most experienced goalkeeper on the squad.

The defining moment of his career came in November 2025: In the World Cup playoff final against Nigeria, which ended 1-1 after extra time, Mpasi made the decisive saves in the penalty shootout, securing the DR Congo’s World Cup qualification. At the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, he had already played in all six of the Léopards’ matches on their way to the semifinals. Mpasi embodies the calm, consistency, and experience required for a World Cup tournament at this level.

Fayulu, 26 years old and born in Geneva, has one of the more unusual backgrounds in the entire World Cup squad. Originally a field player, he switched to goalkeeper after a growth spurt—a path rarely seen in professional soccer. He has spent nearly his entire club career with FC Sion in the Swiss Super League, interrupted by a loan to Winterthur and his current loan to FC Noah in the Armenian Premier League, where he is the starting goalkeeper. Standing 192 cm tall, he brings an imposing physical presence to the goal. He has played only a few international matches for his country so far. The World Cup is his biggest tournament.

Epolo, just 21 years old and born in Brussels, is the most promising goalkeeping talent the Democratic Republic of the Congo currently has. Having come up through the RSC Anderlecht academy, he moved to Standard Liège at the age of 14. Since the 2025–26 season, he has been the starting goalkeeper in the Belgian Pro League, making 27 appearances and impressing with consistently solid performances. His switch from the Belgian national team to the DR Congo was only approved in November 2025, and his debut for the Léopards followed shortly thereafter in December 2025 in a 2-0 win over Zambia. The World Cup is his first major tournament, and for a 21-year-old with this potential for development, it may well be just the beginning of a long era in the Congolese goal.