When did the Congo national football team make its first ever appearance?
The Congo national football team made its first ever appearance in February 1960. They played a friendly match against the Ivory Coast and lost that game four goals to two.
Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Congo national football team made its first ever appearance in February 1960. They played a friendly match against the Ivory Coast and lost that game four goals to two.
In 1972 the Congo won their only African Cup of Nations title. A dramatic three-two victory over Mali claimed the championship trophy for the squad featuring François M'Pelé.
Thievy Bifouma is Congo's top scorer with sixteen goals between 2014 and 2023. Jonas Bahamboula scored thirteen goals during his career spanning 1969 to 1982.
The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup in its entire history. Qualification for the 1998 World Cup brought the team within a win of reaching the final tournament before they lost their final match 1-0 away to South Africa.
In February 2025 Congo was suspended from international competitions by FIFA. The governing body cited third-party interference within FECOFOOT as the cause.