How long has it been since DR Congo won a major trophy?

DR Congo last won a major trophy at the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations. As of today that is 52 years and 4 months ago.

How Long Since DR Congo Won an Africa Cup of Nations?

DR Congo — last major trophy

🏆 1974 Africa Cup of Nations

Time since last trophy

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The story

Playing as Zaire, they won a replayed final against Zambia after the first match finished level, for a second AFCON title. It remains their most recent major trophy, and their only World Cup appearance came later that same year.

DR Congo's trophy history

The Democratic Republic of Congo's most recent Africa Cup of Nations title came in 1974, while competing as Zaire, when they beat Zambia in a replayed final after the first match finished level — their second continental title, following an earlier win in 1968. That same year, Zaire became the first sub-Saharan African nation to appear at a World Cup, though the tournament is now remembered mainly for one of the competition's stranger moments: during a group match against Brazil, defender Mwepu Ilunga famously ran out of the defensive wall and kicked the ball upfield before Brazil could take a free kick, misunderstanding the rules in a way that became one of the tournament's most replayed clips. DR Congo has not won a major trophy since 1974, more than five decades ago, despite periodic strong AFCON runs, including a semifinal appearance in 2015.

All major titles

Competition	Titles won
FIFA World Cup	0
Africa Cup of Nations	2

Major finals

Year	Competition	Result	Detail
1968	Africa Cup of Nations	Won	1-0 vs Ghana, as hosts
1974	Africa Cup of Nations	Won	Replayed final vs Zambia

Legendary players

Mwepu Ilunga — Became internationally famous for prematurely running out of the wall to clear the ball at the 1974 World Cup against Brazil.
Ndaye Mulamba — Top scorer of the 1974 AFCON tournament, one of the stars of that title-winning squad.

Interesting facts

Playing as Zaire, DR Congo became the first sub-Saharan African nation to appear at a World Cup, in 1974.
Defender Mwepu Ilunga's premature free-kick clearance against Brazil in 1974 remains one of the World Cup's most famous (and misunderstood) moments.
DR Congo's two AFCON titles, 1968 and 1974, both came while competing under the name Zaire.
DR Congo has not won a major trophy since 1974, despite reaching the AFCON semifinal as recently as 2015.

Frequently asked questions

When did DR Congo last win the Africa Cup of Nations?

1974, while competing as Zaire, beating Zambia in a replayed final.

What happened with DR Congo (Zaire) at the 1974 World Cup?

Defender Mwepu Ilunga famously ran out of the defensive wall to kick the ball away before a Brazil free kick, a moment still replayed today.