The Democratic Republic of Congo is back in the World Cup for the first time since 1974, breaking a 52-year drought. But the last time that DR Congo played, back when the country competed as Zaire, a defender’s surprising time-wasting method quickly went down in the tournament’s lore.
After a 2-0 loss to Scotland and a stunning 9-0 loss to Yugoslavia, Zaire ended the group stage with a game against Brazil. The players had been told by Zaire president Mobutu Sese Seko that they should not return home if they lose by four or more goals — setting high stakes in a game that Brazil was heavily favored to win.
With Brazil up 3-0, a foul just outside the box gave the Brazilians a very dangerous free kick in the 85th minute. But before Brazil had a chance to get the kick, defender Joseph Mwepu Ilunga sprinted forward and kicked the ball away, promptly earning a yellow card from the referee for time-wasting.
“Don’t return home if you lose by four or more goals!” 🗣️
In the 1974 FIFA World Cup, Zaire (now DR Congo) chose an interesting time-wasting tactic against Brazil to make sure they didn’t get embarrassed on the world stage 👀
82 days until the FIFA World Cup on FOX! pic.twitter.com/RdCI9Dd6EI— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 21, 2026
Mwepu later clarified that he was very aware of the rules, and that he was expecting to be cautioned or even sent off as a result of the kick.
But the method worked: Zaire was able to hold the score for the rest of the game. Brazil took home the 3-0 win, and Zaire was able to stick to their president’s wishes.
Now, DR Congo will attempt to make another splash in 2026, competing in Group K alongside Portugal, Uzbekistan and Colombia.
