Sébastien Desabre acknowledged his team’s underdog status against Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs final, praising the Super Eagles’ quality and experience while affirming his side’s commitment despite being a developing squad.
DR Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre has openly conceded his team’s underdog status heading into the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs final against the Super Eagles of Nigeria on Sunday.
The Leopards secured their place in the showdown following a tense 1-0 victory over Cameroon, while the Super Eagles powered through with an emphatic 4-1 win against Gabon.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, the 49-year-old tactician praised Nigeria’s quality and acknowledged the gap between the two teams in terms of experience and ranking.
“We beat a good Cameroon team who took a lot of risks at the end of the match to score. And then there is Nigeria, which remains one of the best in Africa,” Sébastien Desabre stated.
He noted that the Super Eagles are clear favourites based on pedigree, adding that DR Congo is still in the process of building a stronger squad. He emphasized this point by adding:
“These are teams that are ahead of us in the Fifa ranking and we know we have room for improvement as we showed tonight.”
Despite acknowledging the disparity, Desabre expressed confidence in his team’s steady progress and promised full commitment in the final. “We must move forward, we’re making progress.
We took a good step today and we will have another opportunity against Nigeria to show what we are capable of,” he stated, adding: “That will be another match and whatever happens we will throw ourselves into the game.”
The final playoff will be held at the Moulay Hassan Stadium, with a win securing the Super Eagles a spot in the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March 2026.