2026 World Cup - DRC: Bakambu or Mayele against England?

No shots on target for Bakambu in 3 matches

Since the start of this 2026 World Cup, Sébastien Desabre has been fielding his two main strikers: Yoane Wissa and Cédric Bakambu. But while the former is having a stellar tournament (3 goals in 3 games), the latter is the biggest disappointment of what is nonetheless a historic World Cup for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Indeed, Cédric Bakambu still has not registered a single shot on target. And yet, he has played a total of 193 minutes, which is the second most playtime among Congolese attackers, just behind Yoane Wissa. In 85 minutes against Portugal (1-1), he took two shots, neither on target. The same result in 57 minutes against Colombia (0-1), with just one attempt on goal.

Against Uzbekistan (3-1), who were the most approachable opponent in the group, Cédric Bakambu finally had the chance to shine. But again, he missed another opportunity, and even delivered a worse performance than in the first two matches, with zero shots attempted and a huge technical deficit, forcing Sébastien Desabre to substitute him after just 51 minutes. In fact, Bakambu completed only 33% of his passes (2/6).

Fiston Mayele more mobile and Wissa-compatible

Against England, Sébastien Desabre’s challenge is to find the most compatible partner for Yoane Wissa, who is untouchable in this attack. And in this debate, Fiston Mayele has clearly gotten the upper hand over Bakambu, despite having only 39 minutes of playtime in this 2026 World Cup. Coming off the bench to replace the Real Betis striker, the former Pyramids forward showed himself to be more incisive and mobile than Cédric Bakambu.

Not only did he score, but Fiston Mayele brought more dynamism to the Leopards' attack, so Yoane Wissa was no longer carrying the offense alone. Mayele had 5 shots before scoring—already more than Bakambu (3 attempts in 3 matches). The 32-year-old striker showed impressive chemistry with Wissa, alternating positions with the Newcastle forward on every attack.

Enough to earn him a starting spot against England this evening? That's the main question for Sébastien Desabre’s lineup. In a World Cup where African coaches like Emerse Faé (Ivory Coast) and Pape Thiaw (Senegal) chose players based on status rather than rewarding top performers, the French coach needs to send a strong message by standing out—even if it means bruising the ego of one of his most important players for the good of the team.

At 35, Bakambu is certainly more experienced than Fiston Mayele, but he has clearly revealed his athletic and finishing limitations in this 2026 World Cup. Rewarding Fiston Mayele’s explosive entrance against Uzbekistan would be a strong message to his squad, prioritizing merit over player status in the national team. Tactically, it would also be a plan to surprise Thomas Tuchel and his staff, who will surely be expecting another start for Bakambu.