From Croydon to Congo: How Wan-Bissaka's World Cup Dream Began in a Purley Cafe
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, born in Croydon, is on the cusp of representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo at a World Cup, a journey that started with a clandestine meeting in a Costa Coffee in nearby Purley. This unlikely venue hosted Gabriel Zakuani and Sébastien Desabre, the DRC's newly appointed manager, in 2022 as they embarked on a secret mission to recruit talent from Europe.
The Secret Meeting That Changed Everything
Zakuani, a former Peterborough defender who captained the DRC and played in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, recalls the pivotal encounter. "The manager contacted me out of the blue and he was in London," he says. "It was a very random trip – he just wanted to watch players that potentially could play for Congo. We met at Costa and less than an hour into the conversation I had rung up Aaron's family and we were at Aaron's house. We were having a conversation with his mum and dad about potentially getting him to change his nationality. It snowballed from there."
At the time, Wan-Bissaka was at Manchester United and holding out for an England call-up after representing the under-21s. However, when a March 2025 call-up from Thomas Tuchel did not materialise, Zakuani seized the opportunity. "We thought it was the right sign to strike," he explains. "We put our offer on the table. We had all his paperwork ready to sign and he agreed. I think that was his last opportunity maybe to play for England. He knew that we really wanted him."
Building a New Generation of Congolese Talent
Wan-Bissaka's switch in August last year has proven fruitful, with no regrets as he joined Burnley's Axel Tuanzebe in the Leopards squad. Tuanzebe, born in the DRC but raised in England, was also recruited by Zakuani in his role as a consultant for the country's federation. Together, they helped the DRC reach the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and now face a crucial playoff in Mexico against Jamaica for a spot in the World Cup.
The DRC's path to this point has been challenging, coming through African playoffs by beating Cameroon and Nigeria in November. A victory over Jamaica would mark their first World Cup appearance since 1974, when they qualified as Zaire, the first sub-Saharan African team to reach the finals.
Zakuani's Scouting Network and Future Prospects
Zakuani's talent-spotting efforts began during his playing days, notably persuading Yannick Bolasie to play for the DRC. "I practically had to tie him down to get him on the plane in the end," he joked. Today, with the DRC's improved performance, attracting players has become easier. "It's become a lot easier to attract the players and the way we're performing I think is the first thing, because that's the first thing players look at if it's an opportunity for them to potentially play at a World Cup," Zakuani notes.
As an assistant coach for the DRC's under-20s and a polyglot who speaks eight languages, Zakuani scours European leagues for players with Congolese heritage. "I used to do a lot of commentating so if I saw someone with a surname that looks Congolese then I would investigate and that's sort of how it happened at first," he says. "But now because I'm working very closely with the national team, there's got to be a lot more thought put into it and a lot of looking around and I'll turn up to games and training sessions."
His focus includes Joel Ndala, an England Under-20s forward on loan from Manchester City at Sheffield Wednesday. "We're working hard on that one," Zakuani reveals. Should the DRC qualify for the World Cup, more players may show interest. "We have got players in the pipeline," he adds. "There's things that have been in the background happening for about a year now. But because we've got to this position in the playoffs, we need to just stick with what we've got, what's worked, and we'll pursue that if we do get to the World Cup."
A Historic Opportunity Awaits
Emulating the 1974 Zaire side has been a driving force throughout the qualification campaign, where the DRC finished two points behind Senegal in their group. "When the manager took charge, that was his goal," says Zakuani. "The federation set him a clear instruction to get into the World Cup. We've done it the hard way by getting through the playoffs and now we're believing that we can actually get there. The country believes that we can do it – we can't make it 52 years without getting to a World Cup. I think it's the right time. It's the right time with the team. We don't want to miss this opportunity."
With 21 of the DRC's 26-strong 2025 Africa Cup of Nations squad born in Europe, many recruited through Zakuani's efforts, the team stands on the brink of ending a half-century World Cup drought, fueled by a scouting network that turns chance encounters in Purley cafes into international dreams.
