Kinshasa, July 2nd, 2025 (CPA).- Al Hilal Club of Sudan thanked its former coach, Florent Ibenge, from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on Tuesday for his services to the Sudanese sports team, the CPA learned from the team’s social media pages. ‘Thank you, Florent Ibenge, for everything you have done for our club. Your unforgettable journey will forever remain engraved in the hearts of Sudanese fans and the legacy of Al Hilal,’ the post read. According to the source, the Sudanese club wished the Congolese coach, whose contract has certainly come to an end, continued success and a bright future for the mark he has left on the technical staff of this team, while wishing him well in his professional career, the destination of which remains unknown. Having heard this information, the CPA attempted to contact Florent Ibenge, but to no avail, in order to get to the bottom of the matter. As soon as the news was announced by Al Hilal, many of its supporters reacted strongly in the same vein of gratitude towards Florent Ibenge. ‘A big thank you to coach Florent for everything he has brought to Al-Hilal. Your mark will remain engraved in the memory of the supporters. We thank you for your commitment and dedication to the team,’ wrote one of Al Hilal’s supporters, like so many others.
From V.Club to RS Berkane
As a coach, Florent Ibenge enjoyed his moments of glory at V.Club, where he broke the record for longevity from 2013 to 2021, coming from China, where he found former French international Nicolas Anelka at Shanghai Shenhua. Once he arrived in Kinshasa, the late Pierre Kazadi Tshitshi, father of Bestine Kazadi, former president of the Dauphins Noirs, then president of the Supreme Council of V.Club, enlisted him in the team from 2013 to 2021, under the regime of General Amisi Kumba (2007-2020) . Ibenge’s time at V.Club was marked by a lost final in the Champions League in 2014 and another in the CAF Cup in 2018, as well as two Linafoot titles. After V.Club, Ibenge moved to Morocco to join RS Berkane (2021-2022), winning a continental title in the CAF Cup. It was upon leaving Berkane that Ibenge joined Hilal of Sudan, which he led to the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League despite the war in Sudan. It was because of this war that his team, Al Hilal, entered the championship, which was won by the Sudanese club.