KINSHASA: Veteran Gael Kakuta won a recall to the Democratic Republic of Congo squad as coach Sebastien Desabre named his 25-man selection on Monday for their World Cup return after a half-century absence.

Kakuta, who will turn 35 during next months finals in Canada, Mexico and the US, has played only twice in the last two years for the Congolese, brought in as an injury replacement at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco at the turn of the year.

But he was left out in March, when the Congolese became the 10th African country to qualify for the 2026 finals by beating Jamaica in an inter-confederation playoff in Mexico, which suggested his international career might be over.

Kakuta is a former Chelsea prodigy, whose signing as a teenager from France was mired in controversy but who never made the expected breakthrough at Stamford Bridge and has since played for 15 clubs in nine different countries.

For the rest, Desabre stuck with the side that finished fourth at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reached the last 16 in Morocco.

“The squad has picked itself because we’ve all been together now for some four years. The World Cup is no forum for experimenting or development,” he said on Monday.

DR Congo compete in Group ‘K’ at the finals where they take on Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan.

“We want to play to our best level, and our objective is to get past the first phase, which I believe is well within our capacity,” Desabre added.

The country was known as Zaire when they last played at the World Cup in West Germany in 1974, losing all three games, including a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo, Timothy Fayulu, Lionel Mpasi; Defenders: Dylan Batubinsika, Rocky Bushiri, Gedoon Kalulu, Steve Kapuadi, Joris Kayembe, Arthur Masuaku, Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe, Aaron Wan-Bissaka; Midfielders: Theo Bongonda, Brian Cipenga, Meshack Elia, Gael Kakuta, Edo Kayembe, Nathanael Mbuku, Samuel Moutoussamy, Ngal’ayel Mukau, Charles Pickel, Noah Sadiki; Forwards: Cedric Bakambu, Simon Banza, Fiston Mayele, Yoane Wissa.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2026