Nickname: Simbas Coach: Mick Wadsworth Captain: Lomana Lua Lua Cup record: Winners 1968 & 1974; Qualified 14 times

The DR Congo's finest spells in continental football were recorded in 1968 and 1974 when the Simbas were crowned African champions.

Since then political chaos and civil war have taken their toll, and the country formerly known as Zaire continues to run a ramshackle administration.

Influential captain Shabani Nonda played little part in the Tunisia 2004 qualifiers, seemingly frustrated with the way the game is run in his homeland.

Nonda will take no part in the finals due to a horrific knee injury he suffered in the middle of last year.

The Simbas remain a team few nations look forward to meeting, and it says something about the resolve and talent of the players that they have not missed out on a Nations Cup party since 1992.

Coach

Huddersfield sacked Wadsworth

Englishman Mick Wadsworth is the DR Congo's first foreign coach for eight years, having taken over after Frenchman Alain Giresse turned down the post.

Wadsworth had previously worked as first team coach at Premiership side Newcastle United, under the former England boss Bobby Robson.

But Wadsworth was sacked from his last job as manager of English third division side Huddersfield Town last season.

Key players

Michel Dinzey grew up in Germany, where his father had been a diplomat. He has played almost all of his career in Germany's top two divisions, and currently turns out for Eintracht Braunschweig.

When he decided to play for the land of his birth, he initially had communication problems with his new team mates, as he did not speak much French.

Lomana Lua Lua has travelled an unusual route to his current position as one of the DR Congo's top talents. The Kinshasa-born star emigrated to France, and then arrived in England at a young age.

Lua Lua's tricky decision

He made his name with Colchester before earning a big-money move to Newcastle where he has struggled to hold down a regular first-team place.

But in the absence of the injured Nonda, the DR Congo's hopes are squarely on Lua Lua's broad shoulders.

He has been made captain, although the 22-year-old has been unsure whether to leave Newcastle for the tournament in Tunisia.

After struggling to make the grade at French side Troyes, Merlin Mpiana is currently making a name for himself in Romania with Otelul Galati. The young striker found the back of the net five times in the qualifying series.

Verdict

The DR Congo's heyday may have been nearly three decades ago, but they are certainly not in Tunisia as tourists.

The Congolese represent perhaps the most dangerous of all the outsiders - if they can get their act together.