Sébastien Desabre issues a warning to his team ahead of the match against Uzbekistan following the defeat to Colombia

Following the defeat against Colombia on the second matchday of the group stage, the Leopards’ manager turned his attention to the third and final match in Group K.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo lost 1–0 to Colombia on Wednesday 24 June at the 2026 World Cup. Following the match, Sébastien Desabre acknowledged his opponents’ superiority whilst emphasising the importance of the experience gained in the tournament. However, the French manager warned his players that a win against Uzbekistan on 28 June is essential to secure a place in the round of 32.

“The Colombian team were the better side in many areas. We’ve played against the two favourites in our group, the world number 5 (Portugal) and the number 12 (Colombia), and we’re gaining a lot of experience at this level. This is our first World Cup, so we’ll have to take risks against Uzbekistan because a draw won’t be enough.”