Nigeria – DRC: Florent Ibenge responds to accusations of voodoo

The former DR Congo coach, Florent Ibenge, strongly reacted to Éric Chelle’s comments, which had suggested that the Leopards had used voodoo practices during the victory over Nigeria, as part of the 2026 World Cup playoffs.

After the Super Eagles’ elimination, beaten on penalties (4-3) by DR Congo last November in Morocco, Chelle had accused a member of the Congolese staff of performing rituals before the shootout. A version of events that Ibenge firmly rejected. Asked by ESPN, the former Congolese coach dismissed those accusations: «Voodoo? I don’t believe it for a second», he insisted. « I know the person in question very well. I spent seven years in Congolese football and I have never observed anything that could establish a cause-and-effect link. »

Ibenge described these allegations as « absurd », saying they are more a matter of « folklore » and « legends kept alive by oral tradition » than any sporting reality. Meanwhile, Nigeria is trying to bounce back. The Super Eagles have unveiled their provisional squad for AFCON 2025, where they will meet Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania in Group C. However, the coach will have to do without his captain William Troost-Ekong, who announced his international retirement on Thursday.