Congo national football team
Nickname(s) | Diables Rouges (Red Devils) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Congolese Football Federation | |||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | |||
Sub-confederation | UNIFFAC (Central Africa) | |||
Head coach | Paul Put | |||
Captain | Amour Loussoukou | |||
Most caps | Jonas Bahamboula (56) | |||
Top scorer | Thievy Bifouma (15) | |||
Home stadium | Stade Municipal de Kintélé | |||
FIFA code | CGO | |||
| ||||
FIFA ranking | ||||
Current | 97 (23 December 2021)[1] | |||
Highest | 42 (September 2015) | |||
Lowest | 144 (September 2011) | |||
First international | ||||
French Congo 5–1 Cameroon (Middle Congo; 1954)[2] | ||||
Biggest win | ||||
Congo 11–0 Chad (Congo; 28 March 1964) Congo 11–0 São Tomé and Príncipe (Gabon; 7 July 1976) | ||||
Biggest defeat | ||||
Malagasy Republic 8–1 Congo (Madagascar; 18 April 1960) | ||||
Africa Cup of Nations | ||||
Appearances | 7 (first in 1968) | |||
Best result | Champions, 1972 |
The Congo national football team (French: Équipe de football du Congo) represents the Republic of the Congo in men's association football and is governed by the Congolese Football Federation. They have never qualified for the World Cup, but did win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1972. They also won the All-Africa Games football tournament in 1965. The team is also a member of both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
History[]
The Congo national football team made its first ever appearance in February 1960 in a friendly against the Ivory Coast which they lost 4–2.[4] On 13 April, they defeated Reunion 4–1 in their first game to advance to the quarter-finals. In their quarter-final on 15 April, they defeated the Ivory Coast 3–2. On 17 April, they lost 5–4 to Cameroon and were beaten 8–1 by the host Madagascar in the third-place play-off on 19 April.
In April 1963 they entered another L'Amitié competition, this time in Senegal, and were drawn in a group with Tunisia, the Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mauritania. They lost their opener 2–0 to Tunisia on 13 April but beat the Ivory Coast 3–2 the next day. On 15 April they beat their neighbour Congo Kinshasa 2–1, and then Mauritania 11–0 two days later, but did not advance to the next round.
In July 1965 the Congo held the 1965 All-Africa Games and were drawn in a group with Mali, Uganda and Togo. They drew 1–1 with Mali on 18 July and beat Uganda 2–1 the next day. On 21 July they drew 1–1 against Togo but advanced through to the semi-finals, where they beat the Ivory Coast 1–0 on 23 July. On 25 July the Congo drew 0–0 versus Mali in the final, but won the tournament by having won ten corners in the final compared to Mali's one.
On 11 January 1967 the Congo played their first non-African opposition, defeating Romania 1–0 in a home friendly. On 19 February 1967 the Congo travelled to Tunisia for their first ever African Cup of Nations qualifier, drawing 1–1. On 2 August 1967 they hosted a qualifier against Cameroon, and defeated them 2–1 to top their qualifying group and advance to their first finals.
The finals were held in Ethiopia in January 1968 and the Congo were drawn in a group with their neighbour Zaire, Senegal and Ghana. They lost the opener to Zaire 3–0 on 12 January and two days later lost 2–1 to Senegal. On 16 January the Congo were defeated 3–1 by Ghana and were knocked out.
The Congo hosted a friendly against Romania for the second successive year on 16 June 1968 and won 4–2. On 30 July 1968 they played their first ever South American opposition, losing a home friendly 2–0 to Brazil.
In 1972, the Congo won their only African Cup of Nations title. Congo defeated host Cameroon in the semi-final 1–0 before beating Mali 3–2 to claim the championship. On that squad was arguably Congo's most famous player, François M'Pelé, who starred for PSG in the 1970s.
In qualification for the 1998 World Cup, the Congo came within a win of qualifying for the final tournament. However, after home wins over Zambia, DR Congo and South Africa, Congo lost their final match 1–0 away to South Africa and was eliminated.
Results and fixtures[]
2021[]
26 March 2021 AFCONQ | Congo | 0–0 | Senegal | Brazzaville, Congo |
17:00 UTC+1 | Report | Stadium: Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat Referee: Mahmoud El Banna (Egypt) |
30 March 2021 AFCONQ | Guinea-Bissau | 3–0 | Congo | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |
16:00 UTC+0 | Report | Stadium: Estádio 24 de Setembro Referee: Kouassi Attiogbe (Togo) |
9 June Friendly | Niger | 0–1 | Congo | Manavgat, Turkey |
19:00 UTC+1 | Report |
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Stadium: Arslan Zeki Demirci Sports Complex |
2 September 2021 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification Group H | Namibia | 1–1 | Congo |
7 September 2021 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification Group H | Congo | 1–3 | Senegal |
9 October 2022 World Cup qualification | Togo | 1–1 | Congo |
12 October 2022 World Cup qualification | Congo | 1–2 | Togo | Brazzaville, Congo |
17:00 UTC+1 |
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Report |
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Stadium: Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat Referee: Djindo Louis Houngnandande (Benin) |
11 November 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification | Congo | 1–1 | Namibia | Brazzaville, Congo |
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Report |
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Stadium: Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat Referee: Samuel Uwikunda (Rwanda) |
14 November 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification | Senegal | 2–0 | Congo | Thiès, Senegal |
21:00 UTC+2 |
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Report | Stadium: Stade Lat-Dior Referee: Fabricio Duarte (Cape Verde) |
Coaches[]
- (1962–1964)
- Vasily Sokolov (1964–1965)
- (1965–1970)
- (1970–1973)
- (1973–1974)
- Cicerone Manolache (1974–1976)
- Yvon Goujon (1986–1987)
- (1992–1993)
- (1997–1998)
- (1998–1999)
- (1999–2000)
- Camille Ngakosso (2000)
- Gaston Tchangana (2001)
- (2001)
- Eugen Moldovan (2001–2002)
- (2002)
- Claude Andrey (2002–2003)
- Tahseen Jabbary (2002–2003)
- (2003)
- Michel Hidalgo (2004)
- Christian Létard (2004–2005)
- Gaston Tchangana (2005–2006)
- Noël Tosi (2006–2007)
- Gaston Tchangana (2007–2008)
- Ivica Todorov (2008–2010)
- Robert Corfou (2010–2011)
- Camille Ngakosso (2011)
- Jean-Guy Wallemme (2011–2012)
- Kamel Djabour (2012–13)
- Claude Le Roy (2013–15)
- Pierre Lechantre (2016)
- Barthélémy Ngatsono (2016–17)
- Sébastien Migné (2017–18)
- Valdo Filho (2018–2021)
- Paul Put (2021–)
Players[]
Current squad[]
The following players were called-up for the World Cup qualifying matches against Namibia and Senegal on 11 and 14 November 2021.[5]
Caps and goals are correct as of 12 October 2021, after the match against Togo.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Christoffer Mafoumbi | 3 March 1994 | 31 | 0 | Mosta | |
GK | Pavelh Ndzila | 12 January 1995 | 11 | 0 | Étoile du Congo | |
GK | 30 November 1999 | 0 | 0 | Diables Noirs | ||
DF | 9 September 1992 | 18 | 0 | Vita Club | ||
DF | 9 September 1993 | 16 | 2 | Diables Noirs | ||
DF | Ravy Tsouka | 23 December 1994 | 11 | 0 | Helsingborgs IF | |
DF | 23 October 2001 | 5 | 1 | Otohô | ||
DF | Bradley Mazikou | 2 June 1996 | 4 | 0 | CSKA Sofia | |
DF | Morgan Poaty | 15 July 1997 | 1 | 0 | Seraing | |
DF | 3 December 2002 | 0 | 0 | Diables Noirs | ||
MF | Durel Avounou | 25 September 1997 | 18 | 0 | Le Mans | |
MF | 18 August 1999 | 14 | 0 | Diables Noirs | ||
MF | Gaius Makouta | 25 July 1997 | 10 | 1 | Beroe | |
MF | Antoine Makoumbou | 18 July 1998 | 3 | 0 | Maribor | |
MF | Nolan Mbemba | 19 February 1995 | 2 | 0 | Le Havre | |
FW | Prestige Mboungou | 10 July 2000 | 13 | 0 | Abha | |
FW | Guy Mbenza | 1 April 2000 | 8 | 1 | Wydad Casablanca | |
FW | Dylan Saint-Louis | 26 April 1995 | 7 | 1 | Hatayspor | |
FW | Mavis Tchibota | 7 May 1996 | 7 | 0 | Ludogorets Razgrad | |
FW | Béni Makouana | 28 September 1999 | 4 | 0 | Montpellier | |
FW | Yann Mabella | 22 February 1996 | 2 | 0 | Racing Union Luxembourg | |
FW | 17 September 1999 | 0 | 0 | Otohô | ||
FW | 8 February 1998 | 0 | 0 | Vita Club |
Recent call-ups[]
The following players were called up for Congo in the last 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | 10 April 1999 | 0 | 0 | Trepça '89 | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE | |
GK | 28 January 2001 | 0 | 0 | Reims | v. Niger; 9 June 2021 | |
DF | Erving Botaka | 5 October 1998 | 0 | 0 | Ufa | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE |
DF | Raddy Ovouka | 7 December 1999 | 2 | 0 | Hearts of Oak | v. Senegal; 7 September 2021 |
DF | Baron Kibamba | 23 March 1998 | 12 | 0 | Sevilla | v. Senegal; 7 September 2021 |
DF | Béranger Itoua | 9 May 1992 | 15 | 0 | Sohar | v. Niger; 9 June 2021 |
MF | 21 February 1997 | 5 | 0 | Diables Noirs | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE | |
MF | 17 August 1999 | 5 | 0 | Otohô | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE | |
MF | Scott Bitsindou | 11 May 1996 | 0 | 0 | Lierse Kempenzonen | v. Senegal; 7 September 2021 |
MF | Christopher Missilou | 18 July 1992 | 3 | 0 | Newport County | v. Senegal; 7 September 2021 |
MF | Durel Avounou | 25 September 1997 | 15 | 0 | Le Mans | v. Namibia; 2 September 2021PRE |
FW | Merveil Ndockyt | 20 July 1996 | 21 | 1 | NK Osijek | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE |
FW | Yhoan Andzouana | 13 December 1996 | 4 | 0 | DAC 1904 | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE |
FW | Silvère Ganvoula M'boussy | 22 June 1996 | 16 | 3 | VfL Bochum | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE |
FW | Dylan Bahamboula | 22 May 1995 | 11 | 0 | Oldham Athletic | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE |
FW | Lorry Nkolo | 22 June 1991 | 10 | 4 | Diables Noirs | v. Namibia; 11 November 2021PRE |
FW | Prince Ibara | 7 February 1996 | 15 | 4 | Bengaluru | v. Senegal; 7 September 2021 |
FW | Kévin Koubemba | 23 March 1993 | 8 | 0 | Sabah | v. Niger; 9 June 2021 |
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. |
Records[]
- As of 30 January 2021[6]
- Players in bold are still active with Congo.
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Competition records[]
FIFA World Cup record[]
FIFA World Cup record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1930 | Part of France | Part of France | |||||||||||||
1934 | |||||||||||||||
1938 | |||||||||||||||
1950 | |||||||||||||||
1954 | |||||||||||||||
1958 | |||||||||||||||
Played as Congo-Brazzaville | Played as Congo-Brazzaville | ||||||||||||||
1962 | Not affiliated to CAF | Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||||||||
1966 | Entry not accepted by FIFA | Entry not accepted by FIFA | |||||||||||||
Played as People's Republic of the Congo | Played as People's Republic of the Congo | ||||||||||||||
1970 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1974 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||
1978 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 | |||||||||
1982 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1986 | |||||||||||||||
1990 | |||||||||||||||
Played as Republic of the Congo | Played as Republic of the Congo | ||||||||||||||
1994 | Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||
1998 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | |||||||||
2002 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 17 | |||||||||
2006 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 15 | |||||||||
2010 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 | |||||||||
2014 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 4 | |||||||||
2018 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 16 | |||||||||
2022 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | |||||||||
2026 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
Total | 0/22 | 68 | 21 | 16 | 31 | 79 | 88 |
Africa Cup of Nations record[]
Africa Cup of Nations record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1957 | Part of France | |||||||
1959 | ||||||||
Played as Congo-Brazzaville | ||||||||
1962 | Not affiliated to CAF | |||||||
1963 | ||||||||
1965 | ||||||||
1968 | Group stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
Played as People's Republic of the Congo | ||||||||
1970 | Did not enter | |||||||
1972 | Winners | 1st | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 |
1974 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 |
1976 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1978 | Group stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
1980 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1982 | ||||||||
1984 | ||||||||
1986 | ||||||||
1988 | ||||||||
1990 | Did not enter | |||||||
Played as Republic of the Congo | ||||||||
1992 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
1994 | Did not qualify | |||||||
1996 | ||||||||
1998 | ||||||||
2000 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
2002 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2004 | ||||||||
2006 | ||||||||
2008 | ||||||||
2010 | ||||||||
2012 | ||||||||
2013 | ||||||||
2015 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
2017 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2019 | ||||||||
2021 | ||||||||
2023 | To be determined | |||||||
2025 | ||||||||
Total | 1 Title | 7/33 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 27 | 37 |
African Games record[]
- Football at the African Games has been an under-23 tournament since 1991.
African Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA | |
1965 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1973 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1978 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1987 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
1991–present | See | |||||||
Total | 4/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Achievements[]
- CEMAC Cup:
- 1 Time Champions (2007)
- UDEAC Championship:
- 1 Time Champions (1990)
- 2 Times Runners-up
- Central African Games:
- 2 Times Runners-up
References[]
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ World Football Elo Ratings: Congo
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Congo (Brazzaville) - List of International Matches". rsssf.com. Rec. Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation. 23 December 2013. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
- ^ "La Liste de Paul Put". Twitter. @fecofootcg. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Mamrud, Roberto. "Congo-Brazzaville – Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Congo national football team. |
- Congo national football team
- African national association football teams
- Africa Cup of Nations-winning countries