Just minutes after Congo DR’s heartbreaking FIFA World Cup 2026 exit against England, head coach Sébastien Desabre endured an even more devastating personal tragedy when he was informed of the death of his father during his post-match press conference.What began as a routine post-match media interaction turned into an emotional scene after Congo DR’s 2-1 Round of 32 defeat to England at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.Desabre had been answering questions about his side’s spirited performance before the team’s communications officer interrupted proceedings with a solemn announcement.In French, the media officer said: “Thank you, but we are announcing that the coach has lost his father. Sincere condolences.”The room fell silent.Video footage of the moment, which has since gone viral on social media, showed a visibly stunned Desabre looking across in disbelief before quietly replying, “Merci” (“Thank you”), rising from his seat and leaving the press conference as it was immediately brought to an end.It remains unclear whether the 49-year-old had already been informed of his father’s passing before entering the media room, but his reaction suggested the announcement came as a shock.WATCH:
Historic World Cup campaign ends in heartbreak
The tragic moment came only minutes after Congo DR saw their remarkable FIFA World Cup journey come to an end.Playing in their first-ever World Cup knockout match, the African side made a dream start when Brian Cipenga scored his maiden international goal after just seven minutes to stun England.However, captain Harry Kane produced another trademark rescue act, scoring twice in the closing stages to inspire England’s dramatic 2-1 comeback victory and book a Round of 16 clash with co-hosts Mexico.Despite the defeat, Desabre praised his players for their fighting spirit and the progress they had made during a historic tournament.“We’re disappointed because we really believed we could do it. We played well. Towards the end of the match, we conceded two chances, and one of the world’s best players scored two goals against us. It’s a shame,” Desabre said before the tragic announcement.“We must congratulate the players on their performance. They’ve gained a lot of experience from playing against teams like this. That’s how football in the Congo DR is built: we may have lacked a little experience, but that’s the nature of the game. We’re learning, and we’re continuing to improve. We’ll carry on, calmly,” he added.Desabre had guided Congo DR to their first FIFA World Cup appearance since 1974, when the nation — then known as Zaire — became the first sub-Saharan African country to qualify for the tournament. The Leopards also reached the knockout stage for the first time, making the campaign one of the greatest achievements in the country’s football history.
