Just minutes after DR Congo’s heartbreaking 2026 FIFA World Cup exit against England, head coach Sébastien Desabre suffered an even more devastating personal tragedy when he was informed of his father’s death during his post-match press conference.What started as a routine post-match media interaction turned into an emotional scene after DR Congo’s 2-1 round of 16 loss to England at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.Desabre answered questions about his side’s spirited performance before the team’s communications officer brought proceedings to a close with a ceremonial announcement.In French, the press officer said: “Thank you, but we are announcing that the coach has lost his father. Sincere condolences.”There was silence in the room.A video of the moment, which has since gone viral on social media, shows a visibly stunned Desabre looking on in disbelief before quietly replying, “Merci” (“Thank you”), getting up from his seat and leaving the news conference, which was brought to an immediate end.It remains unclear whether the 49-year-old had already been informed of his father’s death before entering the press room, but his reaction suggested the announcement came as a shock.WATCH:
A historic World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak
The tragic moment came just minutes after DR Congo saw its incredible FIFA World Cup the journey is coming to an end.Playing in their first knockout match at the World Cup, the African side got off to a dream start as Brian Cipenga scored his first international goal after just seven minutes to stun England.However, captain Harry Kane produced another saving grace, scoring two late goals to inspire England to a dramatic 2-1 victory and book a last-16 clash with co-hosts Mexico.Despite the loss, Desaber praised his players for their fighting spirit and the progress they made during the historic tournament.“We are disappointed because we really believed we could do it. We played well. Towards the end of the game we conceded two chances and one of the best players in the world scored two goals for us. It’s a shame,” Desabre said before the tragic announcement.“We have to congratulate the players on the game. They gained a lot of experience playing against teams like this. That’s how football is built in DR Congo: maybe we lacked a little experience, but that’s the nature of the game. We learn and continue to improve. “We will continue, calmly,” he added.Desabre guided DR Congo 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 stages for the first time, making the campaign one of the greatest achievements in the country’s football history.
