England have already overcome a witch doctor's curse to keep their World Cup dreams alive—now they face the threat of a voodoo hoodoo from their next opponents, DR Congo. The two teams meet in the last 32 clash on Wednesday, and DR Congo have been accused of using supernatural tactics to reach the tournament for the first time in 52 years.
Allegations of Spell-Casting in Qualifying Match
Nigeria's head coach Eric Chelle alleged that Congolese players placed a hex on his team during a penalty shootout in the Confederation of African Football World Cup play-off final in November. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, and DR Congo won 4-3 on penalties. Chelle claimed he saw a Congolese staff member violently shaking 'water or something like that' to cast a spell during the spot kicks.
After defender Chancel Mbemba scored the winning penalty, Chelle confronted the DR Congo coaching staff on the touchline, including manager Sébastien Desabre, and had to be held back by his own coaches. Chelle later told journalists: 'DR Congo guys were doing maraboutage.' Maraboutage refers to magical practices performed by a marabout—a Muslim holy figure with witch doctor connotations in north and west Africa. They use amulets called gris-gris, small cloth pouches containing ritual items, verses, and herbs, as protective charms or curses.
Chelle elaborated: 'During all the penalty session a guy of Congo did some voodoo—every time, every time, every time. So this is why I was a little nervous after him.' When asked what he saw, he repeatedly shook his right fist in the air and said: 'Something like that. I don't know if it's a water or something like that. I don't know.'
DR Congo Denies Claims; Chelle Apologises but Does Not Retract
DR Congo denied Chelle's allegations. Manager Desabre said the altercation was 'not an issue.' Chelle later tried to diffuse the scandal by apologising for his post-match remarks. He said in a statement: 'Football is all about emotions. After the match I reacted in the heat of the moment because of an altercation with a member of the DR Congo staff who was trying to come into my technical area. I never meant to target the Congolese people or their staff, whom I respect. I am disappointed that we have been eliminated, but proud of my players. Congratulations to Congo who were the better team. Their fans showed great enthusiasm, as did ours. We will move forward together.' However, Chelle, 48, a former defender for French clubs Valenciennes and Lens and an ex-Mali international, did not retract his claims.
DR Congo's Path to the World Cup
After their victory over Nigeria, DR Congo secured their spot in the World Cup by defeating Jamaica 1-0 in extra time in an Intercontinental Play-off in Guadalajara, Mexico, in March. It is the first time the team—known as 'The Leopards'—have qualified for the tournament since 1974 when they were called Zaire. That campaign ended with three group-stage losses, including a 2-0 defeat by Scotland, without scoring a goal. This time, they produced one of the shocks of the tournament by drawing 1-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal before qualifying for their showdown with England thanks to a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan.
Previous Witch Doctor Curse on Harry Kane
The voodoo threat comes after a Ghanaian witch doctor put a curse on Harry Kane to stop him scoring when the two nations met during the group stages. The game finished 0-0 with the England captain firing blanks. Afterwards, witch doctor Nana Kwaku Bonsam said he had lifted his hex on Kane—who he loved like a brother and would name his son after—allowing the striker to start scoring again in the final group game against Panama. Kane duly obliged, netting the second goal in the Three Lions' 2-0 victory to secure their spot in the knockouts.
