DR Congo’s coach learns about his father’s death at a press conference after England’s defeat. Watch

Democratic Republic of Congo’s World Cup campaign ended on a deeply emotional note after head coach Sebastien Desabre was informed of his father’s death at the team’s post-match press conference following Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat by England.

Desabre was just supervising Withdrawal of DR Congo from the tournament after Harry Kane scored twice in the closing stages to complete England’s comeback and send Thomas Tuchel’s side through to the last 16. Moments later, as the French coach answered questions from reporters, the team’s media officer interrupted the press conference with a ceremonial announcement.

“Thank you, but we announce that the coach has lost his father. My sincere condolences,” the spokesman said in French.

DR Congo coach Sbastien Desabre held a press conference after being dropped by England and was rudely told by a journalist that his father had died.

The coach stood up, thanked and canceled the conference.— England Football (@Mercado_Inles) July 2, 2026

Desabre looked stunned by the news. After quietly replying, “Thank you,” he left the press conference, which was promptly terminated. The incident, broadcast live, sparked an outpouring of support from football fans and members of the football community.

The tragic moment overshadowed the tournament, which was a milestone for DR Congo. Leopards, playing in their first World Cup since 1974, exceeded expectations by reaching the knockout stages for the first time in the country’s history. Under Desabre, they also scored their first World Cup goals and recorded their first victory at the tournament, one of the standout stories of 2026.

FIFA World Cup England vs DR Congo: Highlights

Their historic run ended after England recovered from a goal down in the 32nd over. DR Congo held a deserved 1-0 lead until the 75th minute before Harry Kane equalised. The England captain struck again in the 86th minute to seal a 2-1 victory and set up a round of 16 clash with Mexico.

Despite the defeat, DR Congo earned widespread praise for pushing one of the tournament favorites to the limit.

Goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi was central to the effort, making a number of excellent saves to thwart England for most of the game. Jude Bellingham even hugged the goalkeeper after one stop in a gesture of appreciation for his performance.

“I offered my body to science,” Mpasi said afterwards with a smile. “But we knew that Harry Kane was a super striker and that we had to focus on him. It’s a shame that we paid less attention to him twice.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

02 Jul 2026 07:15 IST