Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
Zaire's infamous World Cup free-kick moment
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December 1, 2022
10 minutes
Available for over a year
In 1974, Zaire became just the third African nation to take part in football’s World Cup. Having been crowned African champions earlier that same year, the team known as the Leopards had big hopes for a successful tournament in West Germany. However, their campaign is predominantly remembered for a 9-0 defeat and a moment viewed by many as something comedic. Mwepu Ilunga’s decision to run out of a defensive wall and smash the ball downfield as opponent’s Brazil prepared to take a free-kick has become part of World Cup folklore, but the true reasons behind the defender’s apparent rush of blood to the head are likely to be less amusing. Ian Williams speaks to Mohamed Kalambay, part of Zaire’s 1974 squad, to try to discover the truth of it all.
(Photo: The Zaire team line up to face Brazil in their final group game of the 1974 World Cup in Gelsenkirchen, West Germany. Credit: Getty Images)