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 footballing potential and is keen to show what it is capable of. The opening match against Portugal will be a real test of their quality.

Manager Sébastien Desabre has named three goalkeepers for the Léopards: Lionel Mpasi, Timothy Fayulu and Matthieu Epolo. The DR Congo qualified via a dramatic 4-3 victory on penalties against Nigeria in the intercontinental play-off – with Mpasi playing a decisive role. 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’ defence. As a teenager, he played for Paris Saint-Germain and progressed through the French youth national teams up to the U18s, but then opted to represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His journey through club football 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 in the squad.

The defining moment of his career came in November 2025: in the World Cup play-off final against Nigeria, which ended 1-1 after extra time, Mpasi made the crucial saves in the penalty shoot-out, securing World Cup qualification for the DR Congo. At the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, he had already played in all six of the Léopards’ matches on their way to the semi-finals. Mpasi embodies the composure, 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 backstories in the entire World Cup squad. Originally an outfield player, he switched to goalkeeping following a growth spurt – a career path rarely seen in professional football. He has spent almost his entire club career at FC Sion in the Swiss Super League, interrupted by a loan spell at Winterthur and his current loan at FC Noah in the Armenian Premier League, where he is the first-choice goalkeeper. Standing at 192 cm tall, he brings an imposing physical presence to the goal. At international level, he has made only a handful of appearances so far. The World Cup is his biggest tournament to date.

Epolo, just 21 years old and born in Brussels, is the most promising goalkeeping talent the DR Congo currently has. Having come through the RSC Anderlecht academy, he moved to Standard Liège at the age of 14. Since the 2025/26 season, he has been the first-choice keeper 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 afterwards 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 such potential for development, may well be just the beginning of a long era in the Congolese goal.