Congo national football team

Not to be confused with Congo DR national football team.

Congo

Nickname(s)	Diables Rouges (Red Devils)
Association	Fédération Congolaise de Football
Sub-confederation	UNIFFAC (Central Africa)
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Head coach	Jean-Guy Wallemme
Home stadium	Stade de la Revolution
FIFA code	CGO
FIFA ranking	130
Highest FIFA ranking	57 (October 2008)
Lowest FIFA ranking	139 (April 1996)
Elo ranking	124
Highest Elo ranking	37 (July 1972)
Lowest Elo ranking	133 (4 September 2011)
Home colours Away colours
First international
Middle Congo 4–1 Réunion (Madagascar; April 13, 1960)
Biggest win
Congo 11–0 São Tomé and Príncipe (Gabon; 7 July 1976)
Biggest defeat
Malagasy Republic 8–1 Middle Congo (Madagascar; April 19, 1960)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	6 (First in 1968)
Best result	Winners, 1972

The Congo national football team, nicknamed the Diables Rouges (Red Devils), is the national team of the Republic of the Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup, but did win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1972. They also won the All-Africa Games football tournament in 1965.

History

The Congo national football team made its first ever appearance in April 1960 in the L'Amitié tournament, a competition for French-speaking nations held in Madagascar. On 13 April they defeated Reunion 4-1 in their first game to advance to the quarter-finals. In their quarter-final on 15 April they defeated the Ivory Coast 3-2. On 17 April they lost 5-4 to Cameroon and were beaten 8-1 by the host Madagascar in the third-place play-off on 19 April.

In April 1963 they entered another L'Amitié competition, this time in Senegal, and were drawn in a group with Tunisia, the Ivory Coast, Congo Kinshasa and Mauritania. They lost their opener 2-0 to Tunisia on 13 April but beat the Ivory Coast 3-2 the next day. On 15 April they beat their neighbour Congo Kinshasa 2-1, and then Mauritania 7-0 two days later, but did not advance to the next round.

In July 1965 the Congo held the 1965 All-Africa Games and were drawn in a group with Mali, Uganda and Togo. They drew 1-1 with Mali on 18 July and beat Uganda 2-1 the next day. On 21 July they drew 1-1 against Togo but advanced through to the semi-finals, where they beat the Ivory Coast 1-0 on 23 July. On 25 July the Congo drew 0-0 versus Mali in the final, but won the tournament by having won ten corners in the final compared to Mali's one.

On 11 January 1967 the Congo played their first non-African opposition, defeating Romania 1-0 in a home friendly. On 19 February 1967 the Congo travelled to Tunisia for their first ever African Cup of Nations qualifier, drawing 1-1. On 2 August 1967 they hosted a qualifier against Cameroon, and defeated them 2-1 to top their qualifying group and advance to their first finals.

The finals were held in Ethiopia in January 1968 and the Congo were drawn in a group with their neighbour Zaire, Senegal and Ghana. They lost the opener to Zaire 3-0 on 12 January and two days later lost 2-1 to Senegal. On 16 January the Congo were defeated 3-1 by Ghana and were knocked out.

The Congo hosted a friendly against Romania for the second successive year on 16 June 1968 and won 4-2. On 30 July 1968 they played their first ever South American opposition, losing a home friendly 2-0 to Brazil.

Achievements

CEMAC Cup :

• 1 Time Champion (2007)

UDEAC Championship :

• 1 Time Champion (1990)
• 2 Times Runners-up

Central African Games :

• 2 Times Runners-up

Competition records

World Cup record

• 1930 to 1962 – Did not enter
• 1966 – Entry not accepted by FIFA
• 1970 – Did not enter
• 1974 to 1978 – Did not qualify
• 1982 to 1990 – Did not enter
• 1994 to 2010 – Did not qualify

Africa Cup of Nations record

• 1957 to 1965 – Did not enter
• 1968 – Round 1
• 1970 – Did not enter
• 1972 – Champions
• 1974 – Fourth place
• 1976 – Did not qualify
• 1978 – Round 1
• 1980 to 1988 – Did not qualify
• 1990 – Did not enter
• 1992 – Quarterfinals
• 1994 to 1998 – Did not qualify
• 2000 – Round 1
• 2002 to 2012 – Did not qualify

Coaches

• Eugen Moldovan (2001–2002)
• Noël Tosi (2006–2007)
• Ivica Todorov (2008–2010)
• Robert Corfou (2010–2011)
• Jean-Guy Wallemme (2011–)

External links

• Official site