DR Congo has a negative record in the history of the World Cups; understand

The Democratic Republic of Congo debuts in the World Cup this Wednesday afternoon (17) against Portugal. The Congolese enter the field with a negative record under their belt. The team, which was still Zaire, suffered the biggest defeat by Africans in the history of the World Cup, when they lost 9-0 to Yugoslavia in 1974.

Participation in the 1974 World Cup went down in history for bringing together African pioneering spirit, negative results and troubled scenes.

At the time, the country was governed by Mobutu Sese Seko and adopted the name Zaire. The place in the World Cup came with the title of the 1974 African Cup of Nations, when the tournament served as a direct qualifier. With qualification, the nation became the first team from sub-Saharan Africa to compete in a World Cup.

How was the campaign in the thrashing World Cup
Zaire's path was not easy in the 1974 World Cup. The draw placed the Afircans in a group with Brazil (current champion), Scotland, as well as Yugoslavia, which used to have high-level teams.

In the field, the difference in technique and experience was present. Zaire was eliminated with three defeats, without scoring goals and conceding 14 balls into the net.

The campaign included a debut defeat to Scotland, a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia and a 3-0 defeat to Brazil. The score against the Europeans entered the list of the biggest defeats in World Cup history.

Curiosities and episodes that marked the World Cup
Participation was also marked by curious and symbolic episodes. The most remembered occurred against Brazil, when defender Ilunga Mwepu came out of the wall and shot the ball before Rivelino's free kick.

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For years, the move was interpreted as ignorance of the rules. Later, the player himself explained that it was a protest amid the chaos experienced by the delegation.

The political context also weighed in. Reports indicate problems with unpaid prizes and pressure from the regime after the defeat suffered, which directly affected the team's atmosphere during the tournament.

*With information from Gabriel Teles, from CNN Brasil

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Source: CNN