World Cup 2026 (Q): Sébastien Desabre thrilled with Bakambu's return to the Leopards

The coach of the Congo Leopards, Sébastien Desabre, can count on Cédric Bakambu for the 5th and 6th rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Cédric Bakambu is back in the Congolese squad. The 33-year-old forward received the call from Sébastien Desabre to participate in the 5th and 6th rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with the Leopards. The Real Betis player hasn't worn the national team's jersey since their elimination from the 2023 AFCON. It's a sigh of relief for Desabre, who believes Bakambu will be very useful during this international break:

The return of Cédric Bakambu is a good thing for the DRC. When I said I wasn't going to take him in November, he hired a personal fitness coach. He's a true professional and he's in shape now, which is very interesting.

The Leopards of the DR Congo face South Sudan this afternoon at 4 PM GMT. A victory is essential for the Congolese to climb to the top of Group B. Currently, they hold the 3rd position with 7 points.

Lydiane N'Po |

Editorfr, en

Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.