Claude Le Roy has been appointed as the new head coach of the Republic of Congo national football team, the Congolese Football Federation announced Monday. The 78-year-old French coach will lead the team with the goal of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), after Congo failed to reach the World Cup and has missed the last five AFCON tournaments.

Le Roy’s appointment marks his return to Congo, where he previously served as the national team coach from 2013 to 2015. During that tenure, he guided the team, known as the Red Devils, to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, their best performance in the tournament since 1974. The contract signing took place in the Ministry of Sports meeting room and was announced through the federation’s social media channels.

A seasoned figure in African football, Le Roy has a history of coaching several national teams on the continent, including Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (twice), Senegal, Ghana, and Togo. He notably won the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon in 1998. Since stepping down from his role with Togo in 2021, this will be his first head coaching position.

Le Roy will be assisted by former Senegal international defender Omar Daf, who has been named as his assistant coach.

The Republic of Congo faces a challenging qualifying group for the 2027 AFCON, which will be hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. Their group opponents include Cameroon, Comoros, and Namibia. The team’s objective is to secure their first AFCON qualification since their last appearance in 2015.

At 78, Le Roy is among the older coaches currently active in international football, though he is not the oldest. Dick Advocaat, who manages Curacao, is slightly older by five months and recently led his team in the World Cup.

The Congolese Football Federation’s decision to bring back Le Roy underlines their ambition to rebuild and return to continental competition following a period of absence.