Sébastien Desabre will arrive at the CAF Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde carrying the experience of rebuilding one of African football’s traditional powers and taking DR Congo back to the FIFA World Cup after a 52-year absence.
The French coach guided the Leopards to the 2026 global finals for only the second time in their history before taking them into the knockout stage, where they pushed England deep into the match before losing 2-1 in the Round of 32.
His journey is particularly relevant to a CAF Strategy Conference that will examine why nine of Africa’s record 10 representatives progressed beyond the group stage in 2026 and how those lessons can strengthen African football on the road to 2030.
Desabre’s contribution also offers a different perspective from several of the other World Cup coaches.
Although born in France, much of his senior coaching education has been built in Africa, working across Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Tunisia, Angola, Morocco, Egypt and Uganda before taking charge of DR Congo.
His experience across different football cultures, leagues and national-team environments has made him one of the continent’s most seasoned coaches.
And after taking a DR Congo side that had been absent from the World Cup since 1974 and turning them into a team capable of competing with Portugal, Colombia and England, Desabre has a story that fits naturally into the Conference’s wider discussion about technical development, continuity and long-term planning.
The profile follows the same broader Conference approach used for coaches such as Bubista and Emerse Faé, linking their personal coaching pathways with the lessons African football can draw from their World Cup experiences.
A coaching career built across Africa
Born in Valence, France, Desabre began coaching with ES Le Cannet-Rocheville before moving to Africa in 2010 to take charge of ASEC Mimosas in Cote d’Ivoire.
That move began a coaching journey that would take him through some of the continent’s most competitive football environments.
He went on to coach Coton Sport in Cameroon, where he won the domestic championship and reached the CAF Champions League semi-finals, before further spells with Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Recreativo do Libolo in Angola, JS Saoura in Algeria and Wydad Athletic Club in Morocco.
He also worked with Ismaily and Pyramids in Egypt and spent time with French side Chamois Niortais.
His first major national-team role came with Uganda, whom he guided to the knockout stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.
That experience strengthened a reputation built around organisation, discipline and an ability to make teams competitive in demanding environments.
DR Congo appointed him in August 2022, beginning a project that would eventually take the Leopards back onto the world stage.
Restoring belief with the Leopards
One of Desabre’s first significant achievements with DR Congo came at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023.
The Leopards reached the semi-finals despite progressing from their group without winning a match.
They eliminated seven-time champions Egypt on penalties in the Round of 16 before beating Guinea 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
Their run ended with a 1-0 semi-final defeat by eventual champions Cote d’Ivoire before DR Congo finished fourth after losing the third-place play-off to South Africa on penalties.
That tournament provided evidence of the identity Desabre was building.
The Leopards became difficult to beat, tactically disciplined and capable of competing in close matches against some of Africa’s strongest teams.
The progress convinced the Congolese federation to extend Desabre’s contract until 2029, giving him the continuity needed to pursue the country’s biggest objective – returning to the World Cup.
Ending a 52-year World Cup wait
DR Congo’s road to the FIFA World Cup 2026 was anything but straightforward.
After finishing behind Senegal in their qualifying group, the Leopards had to navigate the African play-offs and then the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.
They overcame Cameroon and Nigeria in the continental phase before facing Jamaica in Guadalajara for a place at the World Cup.
The decisive match remained goalless after 90 minutes before Axel Tuanzebe scored in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory and end DR Congo’s 52-year absence from the competition.
Their previous appearance had come in 1974, when the country competed as Zaire and became the first sub-Saharan African nation to play at a World Cup.
Desabre had therefore done more than qualify for a tournament.
He had connected a new generation of Congolese players with a piece of football history that had waited more than half a century to be revisited.
From historic return to historic first victory
DR Congo were drawn alongside Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K.
Their return began impressively.
Facing Portugal in Houston, the Leopards recovered from conceding early to earn a 1-1 draw, with Yoane Wissa scoring DR Congo’s first World Cup goal and securing the country’s first point at the tournament.
A disciplined performance against Colombia followed, although Daniel Muñoz’s late goal gave the South Americans a 1-0 victory.
That left DR Congo needing a result against Uzbekistan.
Once again, Desabre’s team responded when their tournament was on the line, coming from behind to win and secure both their first World Cup victory and qualification for the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams. Fiston Mayele
For a country that had waited 52 years simply to return, reaching the knockout stage represented another major step.
Pushing England to the limit
Their World Cup journey ended against England, but not without another demonstration of the competitiveness Desabre had instilled.
Brian Cipenga gave DR Congo a seventh-minute lead and the Leopards held that advantage for much of the match.
For 75 minutes, England struggled to break down Desabre’s disciplined defensive structure before Harry Kane scored twice late on to turn the game around and secure a 2-1 victory.
The result ended DR Congo’s campaign, but their tournament had already changed the country’s World Cup story.
From failing to score or earn a point in 1974, the Leopards returned in 2026 to draw with Portugal, record their first World Cup victory and reach the knockout stage.
A long-term project with lessons for Africa
That transformation is what makes Desabre’s experience particularly relevant to the CAF Strategy Conference.
His work with DR Congo has not been based on a single tournament or short-term turnaround.
It has involved gradually rebuilding confidence, establishing a playing identity, creating continuity around the national team and developing a group capable of competing repeatedly under pressure.
Desabre has spoken previously about creating a working environment built around performance, stronger relationships between players, staff and the federation, and a clearer structure around the national team.
Those are exactly the type of lessons that can resonate beyond one country.
When Africa’s football leaders meet in Sal, the discussion will not simply be about why DR Congo reached the Round of 32.
It will also be about how a nation can move from missing major tournaments to becoming competitive again through planning, stability and a clear technical identity.
Desabre took charge of a team searching for direction and, within four years, led them back to the World Cup after 52 years.
For the CAF Strategy Conference, that makes his journey more than a story of qualification.
It is a case study in how patience, continuity and a long-term football project can restore a national team to the global stage.