Table of Contents
Lionel Mpasi blocked shots with his right hand, his left hand and even took one a bit below the belt.
At one point, England midfielder Jude Bellingham gave him a hug of respect with Mpasi sprawled on the World Cup turf, the ball safely in his grasp.
In the end, though, the Congo goalkeeper couldn't stop Harry Kane.
The England striker scored two late goals, the winner in the 86th minute, to prevent the upstart team from Africa from pulling off one of the greatest shockers in World Cup history.
England is moving on to the round of 16 after a 2-1 victory on Wednesday, while Mpasi will have to console himself with one of the great defensive performances in a tournament filled with stellar play from the keepers.
"I offered my body to science," he said through a translator, managing a wry smile. "But we knew Harry Kane is a super striker and that we had to center on him. Too bad that twice we paid a little less attention to him."
Indeed, the Congolese couldn't hold off one of the world's most dangerous goalscorers.
Still, it didn't diminish what Mpasi and his teammates nearly pulled off.
"It is my job to help the team and make saves," Mpasi said in French. "Happily, I was able to make some during the game. I would have loved to save the two that turned into goals."
Already, this was a historic tournament for a country whose only other World Cup appearance came in 1974, when the nation was known as Zaire. That was a quick three-and-out, the squad failing to even score a goal in its defeats — the most embarrassing of them a 9-0 blowout by Yugoslavia.
There was nothing to be ashamed about at its second World Cup.
England vs DR Congo Extended Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Round of 32
Much of the credit should go to the 31-year-old Mpasi, who plays club soccer in his native France but represents the country of his parent's birth internationally, a nation best known in sports circles for Muhammad Ali's "Rumble in the Jungle" upset of George Foreman in 1974.
While a round of 32 victory over England wouldn't have been as impactful as that landmark heavyweight bout, it showcased a country — and a keeper — eager to make their mark on the international scene.
"I’m just proud — proud of my country, proud of my team," Mpasi said. "We fight until the end of the game."
He finished with five saves, the most painful of them coming near the end of the first half when he flung his body in front of a shot by Kane off a cross at the right post — appearing to take a ball somewhere between, uh, his waist and upper thigh.
"He made some incredible saves," Kane said. "It looked like it was going to be one of those days."
It was reminiscent of Mpasi's performance in a group game against Colombia, when he blocked eight shots in a 1-0 setback to the South American powerhouse.
"He's been phenomenal for us all tournament, especially the game against Columbia. He really kept us in the game," Congo defender Axel Tuanzebe said. "Credit to him, the work he puts in, and just the togetherness that we have as a group. We've been together for a while now and the relationship is there, and the communication is there. I just look forward to playing with him and having my back for many more games."
Mpasi, too, looks forward to using this tournament as a building block for Congo soccer.
"I am filled with pride in how we represented Congo," he said. "We fought with all we had, but unfortunately. it didn't work out. Now, we will rest and then work hard to make sure we can do things like this again."
Reporting by The Associated Press.
share
recommended
Get Ready For Mbappé, Haaland, Mexico In High-Stakes Round Of 32 Action
2026 World Cup Bracket: Live Look At The Round Of 16 Matchups
Unstoppable Mbappé: 4 Takeaways From France's Calm And Comfortable Win vs. Sweden
Haaland Delivers! 4 Takeaways From Norway's Milestone Win vs. Ivory Coast
Scouting USA vs. Bosnia And Herzegovina: What To Expect From World Cup Matchup
Mexico Teenager Gilberto Mora Makes History With Start vs. Ecuador
Will Christian Pulisic Start vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina? Latest On USA Star's Status
2026 World Cup Bracket: Full Round Of 32 Matchups
World Cup Roundup: Paraguay Shocks Germany; Brazil Survives With Late Winner
Arrow pointing to the leftArrow pointing to the right
Item 1 of 3 
Get more from the FIFA Men's World Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic 
FIFA Men's World Cup 
Lionel Mpasi Nzau 
DR Congo 
England WC – England vs. DR Congo – 07/01/2026
NEXT STORY
Mexico vs. Ecuador World Cup Weather Delay: Start Time, Hydration Break Updates
recommended
Get Ready For Mbappé, Haaland, Mexico In High-Stakes Round Of 32 Action
2026 World Cup Bracket: Live Look At The Round Of 16 Matchups
Unstoppable Mbappé: 4 Takeaways From France's Calm And Comfortable Win vs. Sweden
Haaland Delivers! 4 Takeaways From Norway's Milestone Win vs. Ivory Coast
Scouting USA vs. Bosnia And Herzegovina: What To Expect From World Cup Matchup
Mexico Teenager Gilberto Mora Makes History With Start vs. Ecuador
Will Christian Pulisic Start vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina? Latest On USA Star's Status
2026 World Cup Bracket: Full Round Of 32 Matchups
World Cup Roundup: Paraguay Shocks Germany; Brazil Survives With Late Winner
Arrow pointing to the leftArrow pointing to the right
Item 1 of 3Original Article
