Congo national football team

Not to be confused with DR Congo national football team.

Congo

Nickname(s)

Diables Rouges
(Red Devils)

Association

Fédération Congolaise de Football

Sub-confederation

UNIFFAC (Central Africa)

Confederation

CAF (Africa)

Head coach

Pierre Lechantre

Captain

Prince Oniangué

Home stadium

Stade Municipal de Kintélé

FIFA code

CGO

First colours

Second colours

FIFA ranking

Current

(5 May 2016)

Highest

42 (September 2015)

Lowest

139 (April 1996)

Elo ranking

Current

Highest

37 (July 1972)

Lowest

133 (4 September 2011)

First international

Ivory Coast 4–2 Congo

(February 1960)

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

6 (First in 1968)

Best result

Winners: 1972

The Congo national football team, nicknamed the Diables Rouges (Red Devils), is the national team of the Republic of the Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football. 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.

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.^[1] 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.

Achievements

CEMAC Cup :

1 Time Champion (2007)

UDEAC Championship :

1 Time Champion (1990)
2 Times Runners-up

Central African Games :

2 Times Runners-up

Competition records

World Cup record

1930 to 1962 – Did not enter
1966 – Entry not accepted by FIFA
1970 – Did not enter
1974 to 1978 – Did not qualify
1982 to 1990 – Did not enter
1994 to 2014 – Did not qualify

Africa Cup of Nations record

Africa Cup of Nations Record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1968	Group Stage	7th	3	0	0	3	2	8
1970	Did Not Enter
1972	Winners	1st	5	3	1	1	9	5
1974	Semi-Finals	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
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	TBD
2019
2021
2023

Results and fixtures

The following matches were played or are scheduled to be played by the national team in the current or upcoming seasons.

2015

10 January 2015 Friendly	Cape Verde	3–2	Congo	Dakar, Senegal
16:00 UTC+0	N'Ganga 53' (o.g.) Kuca 57' Djaniny 70'	Report	Thievy 15' Oniangué 30'	Stadium: Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor

17 January 2015 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group Stage	Equatorial Guinea	1–1	Congo	Bata, Equatorial Guinea
16:00 UTC+0	Nsue 16'	Report	Thievy 87'	Stadium: Estadio de Bata Attendance: 40,245 Referee: Bakary Gassama (Gambia)

21 January 2015 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group Stage	Gabon	0–1	Congo	Bata, Equatorial Guinea
19:00 UTC+0		Report	Oniangué 48'	Stadium: Estadio de Bata Attendance: 34,782 Referee: Victor Gomes (South Africa)

25 January 2015 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Group Stage	Congo	2–1	Burkina Faso	Ebebiyín, Equatorial Guinea
18:00 UTC+0	Thievy 51' Ondama 87'	Report	Bancé 86'	Stadium: Nuevo Estadio de Ebebiyín Attendance: 7,945 Referee: Joseph Lamptey (Ghana)

31 January 2015 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Quarter-final	Congo	2–4	DR Congo	Bata, Equatorial Guinea
16:00 UTC+0	Doré 55' Thievy 62'	Report	Mbokani 65', 90+1' Bokila 75' Kimwaki 81'	Stadium: Estadio de Bata Attendance: 7,945 Referee: Bernard Camille (Seychelles)

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification games against Zambia on 23 and 27 March 2016.^[2]
Caps and goals updated as of 27 March 2016 after the game against Zambia.^[3]

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1GK	Christoffer Mafoumbi	(1994-03-03) 3 March 1994	14	0	Vereya Stara Zagora
1GK	Pavelh Ndzila	(1995-01-12) 12 January 1995	2	0	Étoile du Congo
1GK	Wolfrigon Mongondza Ngobo	(1990-04-08) 8 April 1990	0	0	Diables Noirs

2DF	Francis N'Ganga	(1985-06-16) 16 June 1985	37	3	Charleroi
2DF	Dimitri Bissiki	(1991-03-17) 17 March 1991	24	0	Léopards
2DF	Boris Moubhio	(1988-10-25) 25 October 1988	20	1	Léopards
2DF	Maël Lépicier	(1986-01-14) 14 January 1986	18	0	Roeselare
2DF	Marvin Baudry	(1990-01-26) 26 January 1990	16	0	Zulte Waregem
2DF	Arnold Bouka Moutou	(1988-11-28) 28 November 1988	13	0	Angers
2DF	Clévid Dikamona	(1990-06-23) 23 June 1990	0	0	Dagenham & Redbridge

3MF	Delvin N'Dinga	(1988-03-14) 14 March 1988	42	1	Lokomotiv Moscow
3MF	Prince Oniangué	(1988-11-04) 4 November 1988	30	5	Reims
3MF	Chris Malonga	(1987-07-11) 11 July 1987	23	2	Laval
3MF	Sagesse Babélé	(1993-02-13) 13 February 1993	15	0	Léopards
3MF	Durel Avounou	(1997-09-25) 25 September 1997	4	0	Caen
3MF	Merveil Ndockyt	(1998-07-20) 20 July 1998	4	0	Léopards
3MF	Jordan Massengo	(1990-01-31) 31 January 1990	2	2	Union SG
3MF	Junior Loussoukou	(1996-12-05) 5 December 1996	0	0	ACNFF

4FW	Fabrice Ondama	(1988-02-27) 27 February 1988	30	4	Wydad Casablanca
4FW	Thievy Bifouma	(1992-05-13) 13 May 1992	16	9	Reims
4FW	Dominique Malonga	(1989-01-08) 8 January 1989	6	0	Pro Vercelli
4FW	Kevin Koubemba	(1993-03-23) 23 March 1993	5	0	Brest
4FW	Giovani Ipamy	(1994-09-27) 27 September 1994	2	0	Étoile du Congo
4FW	Prince Ibara	(1996-02-07) 7 February 1996	0	0	CA Bizertin

Recent call-ups

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Brice Samba	(1994-04-25) 25 April 1994	0	0	Nancy	v. Benin, 13 October 2015
GK	Chancel Massa	(1985-08-28) 28 August 1985	13	0	CARA Brazzaville	v. Guinea-Bissau, 5 September 2015

DF	Cosme Mavoungou	(1996-12-22) 22 December 1996	2	0	Diables Noirs	v. Ethiopia, 17 November 2015
DF	Gloire Yila Dibata	(1990-04-25) 25 April 1990	2	0	Léopards	v. Cameroon, 31 October 2015
DF	Hugo Konongo	(1992-02-14) 14 February 1992	1	0	Créteil	v. Guinea-Bissau, 5 September 2015

MF	Hardy Binguila	(1996-07-17) 17 July 1996	11	2	Auxerre	v. Ethiopia, 17 November 2015
MF	Moise Nkounkou	(1996-08-02) 2 August 1996	10	1	Léopards	v. Ethiopia, 17 November 2015
MF	Carof Bakoua	(1993-09-09) 9 September 1993	4	0	Léopards	v. Ethiopia, 17 November 2015
MF	Prestone Lakolo	(1989-04-13) 13 April 1989	9	0	Léopards	v. Cameroon, 31 October 2015
MF	Dua Ankira	(1994-12-04) 4 December 1994	4	0	Léopards	v. Cameroon, 31 October 2015
MF	Deldy Ngoyi	(1997-04-09) 9 April 1997	2	0	Léopards	v. Cameroon, 31 October 2015
MF	Noël Mokouka	(1994-12-25) 25 December 1994	1	0	AS Cheminots	v. Cameroon, 31 October 2015
MF	Césaire Gandzé	(1989-03-06) 6 March 1989	23	1	Léopards	v. Benin, 13 October 2015
MF	Dylan Bahamboula	(1995-05-22) 22 May 1995	0	0	Paris FC	v. Benin, 13 October 2015
MF	Philtzgerald M'Baka	(1993-01-24) 24 January 1993	0	0	Getafe	v. Benin, 13 October 2015
MF	Héritier Ngouelou	(1990-01-15) 15 January 1990	0	0	Léopards	v. Benin, 13 October 2015
MF	Jules Iloki	(1992-01-14) 14 January 1992	0	0	Nantes	v. Guinea-Bissau, 5 September 2015

FW	Bersyl Obassi	(1996-03-29) 29 March 1996	5	0	Étoile du Congo	v. Ethiopia, 17 November 2015
FW	Junior Makiessé	(1993-06-12) 12 June 1993	4	0	Léopards	v. Ethiopia, 17 November 2015
FW	Kader Bidimbou	(1996-02-20) 20 February 1996	4	0	Léopards	v. Ethiopia, 17 November 2015
FW	Percy Akoli	(1993-01-22) 22 January 1993	3	0	CARA Brazzaville	v. Cameroon, 31 October 2015
FW	Bermagin Kangou	(1994-05-21) 21 May 1994	1	0	Diables Noirs	v. Cameroon, 31 October 2015
FW	Férébory Doré	(1989-01-21) 21 January 1989	25	8	Angers	v. Benin, 13 October 2015
FW	Francis Litsingi	(1986-09-10) 10 September 1986	9	0	Gaziantep BB	v. Guinea-Bissau, 5 September 2015
FW	Rahavi Kifouéti	(1989-03-12) 12 March 1989	0	0	Botev Plovdiv	v. Kenya, 14 June 2015

^INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury

Coaches

Amoyen Bibanzulu (1972)
Cicerone Manolache (1972–1974)
Yvon Goujon (1986–1987)
Noël Minga (1992–1993)
David Memy (1997–1998)
Alain Nestor Ngouinda (1998–1999)
David Memy (1999–2000)
Camille Ngakosso (2000)
Gaston Tchangana (2001)
Noël Minga (2001)

Eugen Moldovan (2001–2002)
Alain Nestor Ngouinda (2002)
Claude Andrey (2002–2003)
Jean-Paul Bernard (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-)

References

↑ http://rsssf.com/tablesk/kong-intres.html
↑ "Eliminatoire CAN 2017/ ZAMBIE VS CONGO/ CONGO VS ZAMBIE: Pierre Lechantre dévoile une liste de 24 joueurs." (in French). congofootball.fr.
↑ "Congo".

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Congo national football team.

Official site

International association football

FIFA Federations Teams Competitions World Cup U-17 U-20 Confederations Cup Olympics Youth Olympics Universiade World Rankings Player of the Year Ballon d'Or

Asia	AFC – Asian Cup U-23 U-19 U-16 U-14 Regional (ASEAN, EAFF, SAFF, WAFF)

Africa	CAF – Africa Cup of Nations U-23 U-20 U-17 Regional (CECAFA, CEMAC, COSAFA, WAFU)

North America, Central America and the Caribbean	CONCACAF – Gold Cup U-20 U-17 U-15

South America	CONMEBOL – Copa América U-20 U-17 U-15

Oceania	OFC – Nations Cup U-20 U-17

Europe	UEFA – European Championship U-21 U-19 U-17

Non-FIFA	NF-Board – Viva World Cup CONIFA - ConIFA World Football Cup ConIFA European Football Cup IGA - Island Games

Games	All-Africa Games Asian Games Central America Central America and Caribbean East Asian Games Francophonie Games Indian Ocean Island Lusophony Games Mediterranean Games Pan American Games Pan Arab Games Pacific Games South Asian Games Southeast Asian Games

See also Geography Debuts Codes Player of the Century Women's football

National football teams of Africa (CAF)

North Africa (UNAF)	Algeria Egypt Libya Morocco Tunisia

West Africa (WAFU)	Benin Burkina Faso Cape Verde Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Togo

East Africa (CECAFA)	Burundi Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Rwanda Somalia South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Uganda Zanzibar¹

Central Africa (UNIFFAC)	Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo DR Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon São Tomé and Príncipe

Southern Africa (COSAFA)	Angola Botswana Comoros Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa Swaziland Zambia Zimbabwe

Non-regional Members	Réunion¹

¹ Associate member of CAF but not member of FIFA

Africa Cup of Nations · Champions

1957: Egypt
1959: United Arab Republic
1962: Ethiopia
1963: Ghana
1965: Ghana
1968: Congo-Kinshasa

1970: Sudan
1972: Congo
1974: Zaire
1976: Morocco
1978: Ghana
1980: Nigeria

1982: Ghana
1984: Cameroon
1986: Egypt
1988: Cameroon
1990: Algeria
1992: Ivory Coast

1994: Nigeria
1996: South Africa
1998: Egypt
2000: Cameroon
2002: Cameroon
2004: Tunisia

2006: Egypt
2008: Egypt
2010: Egypt
2012: Zambia
2013: Nigeria
2015: Ivory Coast

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