DR Congo

DR Congo under manager Sébastien Desabre tend to employ a straightforward back four possession shape capitalising on the familiarity of the defensive group, as well as the midfield pairing of Samuel Moutoussamy and the ascendant Noah Sadiki. Depending on the opponent, the main source of positional ambiguity will be whether Desabre prefers more structure in midfield or extra firepower in the forward group. In the first scenario, Ngal'ayel Mukau would slide in on Moutoussamy's right to form a midfield trio in a 4-3-3, with the front three of Yoane Wissa, Cédric Bakambu and Meschak Elia that was favoured at AFCON 2025. The latter allows Nathanaël Mbuku onto the pitch as the wide player on the left, with Wissa shifting centrally to pair or support Bakambu in a 4-4-2 / 4-2-3-1 base. The defensive shape is more of a compact 4-1-4-1 or 5-3-2 with Moutoussamy dropping in front of or between the centre-halves.

The Leopards' ultimate fate at this World Cup will likely hinge on their ability to manufacture goals; Wissa and Bakambu are capable of doing the heavy lifting here, but they may not be at their best, given Wissa's struggles with form and Bakambu's advanced age. Desabre has also caused some consternation among fans with the exclusion of Afimico Pululu who is coming off a 15-goal campaign with Jagiellonia Białystok in the Polish Ekstraklasa.