The highest peak of a footballer’s career can often be shadowed by the sharpest descent. For Kaizer Chiefs’ star winger Glody Makabi Lilepo, the ultimate dream of representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been shattered.
Despite an extraordinary individual campaign in South Africa’s Betway Premiership, the 28-year-old attacker has been officially omitted from the Les Léopards final 26-man squad bound for North America.
The decision, handed down by French tactician Sébastien Desabre, has ignited a fierce debate spanning from the streets of Kinshasa to the training grounds of Naturena. For a nation returning to football’s grandest stage for the first time in 52 years, Desabre has opted for continuity and defensive stability over Lilepo’s blistering, yet high-risk, attacking flair.
The Naturena Renaissance: By the Numbers
What makes Lilepo’s omission so striking is the sheer weight of his domestic form. Since arriving at Kaizer Chiefs from French side Valenciennes in January 2025, the winger popularly known as “Lollipop” has completely revitalized his career.
In his first full season (2025/26) under the bright lights of Soweto, Lilepo has been nothing short of a revelation. He has shouldered the creative and goalscoring burden for an Amakhosi side that successfully secured continental football with games to spare.
Lilepo’s aerial prowess, dynamic spatial awareness on the right flank, and unpredictability made him a nightmare for local defenders. His stellar contributions even prompted the Kaizer Chiefs hierarchy to fast-track contract extension talks to ward off aggressive interest from wealthy North African suitors. Yet, these impressive figures were not enough to bridge a historical divide on the international front.
The Desabre Dilemma: A Frozen International Status
To understand why Lilepo will be watching the World Cup from his television screen, one must look closely at his complex relationship with the national team setup.
Lilepo boasts 11 caps and a single international goal—a memorable strike against Cameroon during the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN). However, a deeper dive into the archives reveals that the winger has not pulled on the blue and red of the DRC since June 2023.
Desabre’s tactical architecture values extreme defensive discipline from his wide players. While Lilepo is highly praised by former professionals, such as Tsepo Masilela, for his relentless positive drive and tendency to attack space rather than playing safe back-passes, his defensive tracking has occasionally been questioned. In a grueling World Cup group featuring heavyweight opponents like Portugal and Colombia, Desabre has preferred trusted, defensively pragmatic wide options who have been deeply embedded in his system throughout the qualifiers.
Financial and Psychological Blow for Kaizer Chiefs
The shockwaves of Desabre’s squad selection are directly impacting Naturena. Beyond the immense personal disappointment for the player, Kaizer Chiefs have missed out on a lucrative financial windfall.
Under the FIFA Club Benefits Programme, a substantial fund has been allocated to compensate clubs that release their players for global tournament duties. With estimates hovering around R200,000 per player, per day, a prolonged run by the Leopards in North America would have translated into millions of Rands for Amakhosi.
More pressingly, the Chiefs technical team now faces the delicate task of managing Lilepo’s psychological state. The emotional fallout of missing a once-in-a-lifetime World Cup opportunity can easily derail a player’s momentum. With their final league match against Chippa United looming on May 23, the club’s coaching staff will need to rally around their talismanic winger to ensure his head doesn’t drop.
The Road Ahead for Les Léopards
While Lilepo processes the heartbreak, the DR Congo machine moves forward. The squad is scheduled to fly out to Europe for high-profile warm-up matches against Denmark in Liège, Belgium on June 3, followed by a clash with Chile in Marbella, Spain six days later.
Desabre’s selected troops carry the immense weight of a football-mad population that has starved for a World Cup appearance since the historic 1974 tournament when the country competed as Zaire.
Conclusion: The Cruel Reality of the Beautiful Game
Glody Makabi Lilepo’s omission is a stark reminder of the thin margins in elite sports. You can conquer a league, win the hearts of millions of demanding club supporters, and still find yourself on the outside looking in when the national call is made.
At 28, Lilepo is entering his prime. While the 2026 World Cup door has firmly shut, his immediate future remains bright. If he signs his lucrative contract extension at Naturena and translates this bitter disappointment into fuel for the upcoming CAF campaign, the selectors in Kinshasa will find it incredibly difficult to ignore “Lollipop” when the next international cycle begins.
Do you think Coach Sébastien Desabre made a tactical mistake by prioritizing system familiarity over Lilepo’s explosive, current form at Kaizer Chiefs?
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