Hibs ace gets World Cup mission from country's president as players urged to 'make up for' falling short
Rocky Bushiri in Kinshasa for surprise dressing room visit from head of state
A special presidential visit to the home team dressing room capped Hibs ace Rocky Bushiri’s most recent international adventure. And the Democratic Republic of Congo defender was among the players urged not to give up on their World Cup dream by the country’s head of state.
The DRC finished second in their qualifying group despite Tuesday night’s home victory over Sudan, with Senegal winning the section. But a six-point haul from the campaign’s closing double-header, with Bushiri playing a key role in Friday night’s away win over Togo, was enough to guarantee that they were one of the four best runners-up in the African qualification process – putting themselves into a complicated play-off system that could involve an extra FOUR games.
Sebastien Desabre’s team will certainly have to dig deep in order to secure their place at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA next summer. Starting with a one-game semi-final away to Cameroon next month.
That November 13 contest will be followed, if they’re successful, with a final against either Nigeria or Gabon just three days later. The last team standing from that contest is then pitched into FIFA’s Intercontinental Play-off tournament next March.
Bolivia and New Caledonia lie in wait - if Cameroon conquered
They’ll be joined by Bolivia, who finished seventh in South American qualifying, and Oceania representatives New Caledonia, as well as two CONCACAF teams and one Asian side, with the identity of the latter trio to be confirmed once all the groups have been played out. Depending on the world rankings of the six sides competing for two precious World Cup places, the DRC could be forced to play a semi-final - or go straight into the final.
Despite the obstacles still to be cleared if the Congo are to make it back to a World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they were known as Zaire, Desabre is confident that his team can make it. And he received backing from the highest office in the land after the Sudan game.
President Félix Tshisekedi, wearing a team jersey to show his support for the side nicknamed The Leopards, visited the home dressing room at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. Commiserating with the players for not clinching automatic qualification, he told the squad: “You have the play-offs to make up for it. I firmly believe in you. Fight your heart out to give us this qualification, but above all, stay focused.”
Africa Cup of Nation tournament starts in December
Bushiri is just one of several Hibs players still in with a shot of competing at the 2026 World Cup, with Martin Boyle a key figure for an Australia side already guaranteed to be at the finals, Junior Hoilett in the running to represent co-hosts Canada – and a handful of others still hoping to secure qualification over the coming months. The Easter Road side are also expected to be well represented at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament kicking off in December.
Bushiri will be part of the DRC squad fancied to reach the latter stages, while Miguel Chaiwa – currently out with a hamstring injury – is expected to be called up again by Zambia, with Jordan Obita now a fixture in the Uganda side since winning his first cap in the summer. The tournament kicks off on Sunday, December 21, with the final scheduled for Saturday, January 18.