Sébastien Desabre, a 49-year-old French coach, had just lost 2-1 with DR Congo to England in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup. The dream ended there, at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, after Brian Cipenga had made them dream with an early goal.
Still seated in front of the microphones, answering questions about the elimination, the team’s head of communications took the floor. He did not speak about the match. Right there, he announced that Desabre’s father had died.
The coach only managed to raise his hand, offer a brief gesture of thanks, and leave the room without saying another word. Congo was playing in its second World Cup in history. Desabre had taken them there in 2022. That afternoon he left with two defeats at the same time 💔