Aaron Wan-Bissaka believes DR Congo can be one of the most impressive African teams at the upcoming World Cup, according to FIFA.com. The West Ham defender, along with experienced players like Axel Tuanzebe, Yoane Wissa, Noah Sadiki, and Arthur Masuaku, is part of a squad that has ended a 52-year World Cup drought.
Pride and Passion
In an interview with the West Ham matchday programme, Wan-Bissaka expressed his pride at helping his country qualify during the March international break. 'I’m very proud. I don’t think I realised how massive it was until we all got back to DR Congo and celebrated with the fans. They’re so passionate, and you can tell how much it meant to them. I don’t think it’s properly sunk in yet that we have a World Cup to look forward to,' he said.
The defender, who faced a relegation battle with West Ham all season, has much to anticipate this summer. Reflecting on his decision to represent DR Congo, he stated: 'When I accepted my first call-up, I thought it was the right moment to take that step. My family were telling me it was my decision. I don’t regret it, and I’m really happy with the decision I made. I’m just looking forward to the future.'
Connection to Roots
Wan-Bissaka emphasised that choosing DR Congo was easy: 'The decision was not hard for me. It’s where I’m from, I’m already connected with the country, so making the decision was easy.' He also credited Axel Tuanzebe for helping him settle in: 'Axel Tuanzebe called me before I joined. He told me what it was like there, asked me if I had any questions, and since I’ve been there, he’s been really close with me. Sometimes he helps to translate for me.'
He recalled proud moments, including playing in the Africa Cup of Nations: 'Even playing in the Africa Cup of Nations, to have the opportunity to take part in such a big tournament, I was really happy.'
World Cup Qualification
DR Congo secured their World Cup berth by beating Jamaica in a tense two-legged play-off. Wan-Bissaka described the experience: 'On the way to the stadium, the streets were packed. The energy around the ground and the noise from the fans was amazing. Once I entered the stadium, it was full. The atmosphere, love and passion from the fans really impressed me.'
He acknowledged the pressure: 'For both teams, there was pressure. Only one could go through and that showed with how the game started. But once we got a bit comfortable and built confidence into the game, that’s when chances started to arrive. We took one from the corner and that helped us to see out the game.'
The journey has been challenging, but Wan-Bissaka is excited: 'We’ve come along way to be in this position, but we’re excited. The journey hasn’t been easy with the amount of games we’ve had to play but to finally get there, is a really proud moment.'
Ambition for the Tournament
Wan-Bissaka made it clear that DR Congo are not just participants: 'If we put our mind to it, I think we can do well. We haven’t got this far just to participate, we really want to give it a go. We want to do well not just for ourselves, but for the country.'
DR Congo begin their World Cup campaign against Portugal today.
