Axel Tuanzebe said African football has been overlooked while speaking about his choice to represent the Democratic Republic of Congo. The defender made that point as Les Léopards prepared for their first World Cup knockout-round appearance against England, a stage that puts his own international path under a brighter light.
Tuanzebe and DR Congo
"For too long, African football has been in the shadows and been disregarded," he said. "It’s time to shine a light on it".
He made his international debut for DR Congo in 2024 after playing for England up to the U21 level, a switch that followed a long club career across Manchester United, Aston Villa, Ipswich Town and Burnley. The conversation took place in November 2025 in NBC Sports’ By Way of Africa series.
Bunia to England
Tuanzebe was born in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo and moved to England when he was four. He grew up in Rochdale, a couple of miles north of Manchester, and attended St. John’s. He rose through Manchester United’s academy before competing in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League for the club.
He described those early years in the Congo as "Just playful." Moving to the UK at four, he said, was "The transition was quite smooth." Football helped him settle, and he said, "It definitely helped me to integrate."
Family sacrifice
The story behind his switch is tied to what his parents gave up when they moved. Tuanzebe said, "The sacrifice is leaving their entire world behind," a line that fits the wider choice he later made with his international career.
His path now reaches back toward the place he left as a child and the team he chose as an adult. Les Léopards’ first World Cup knockout-round appearance against England gives that decision an immediate stage, and Tuanzebe’s remarks make clear he sees the moment as part of a larger push to put DR Congo and African football in front of the spotlight.
