Congo Squad Arrives at World Cup in America in Striking Outfits

The Congolese Ministry of Sports posted a photo on Thursday, June 11, showing the squad and staff on a plane bound for America. What immediately caught the eye was that everyone was wearing leopard print, which in itself is quite striking. Photos also emerged of pillows and bags adorned with the same leopard pattern.

The reason for this is quickly explained: the national team's nickname is The Leopards. Reactions online have been mixed. A large portion of people found the outfits beautiful and perfectly suited for America, while others deemed them animal-unfriendly.

Congo's arrival had long been a topic of discussion surrounding the World Cup. The Congolese squad was mandated by US authorities to quarantine following an Ebola outbreak in the country.

This was a mandatory precautionary measure, even though no player from the squad had actually been in Congo. A friendly match in Cádiz, Spain, was even canceled, though a game was eventually played in France. Congo had been in Belgium in the run-up to the World Cup, where they underwent their quarantine.

Ultimately, everything worked out, and Congo was able to travel to the United States, arriving on opening day. They will play their first match on June 17 against Portugal. Later, they will face Colombia and the Netherlands' friendly opponent: Uzbekistan.

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