Two homes, one match: Steve Zakuani reflects on England and DR Congo's Round of 32 clash

The FIFA World Cup Round of 32 has already delivered everything fans could hope for: tightly contested matches, dramatic stoppage-time winners and plenty of penalty shootout heartbreak. But beyond the action on the pitch, the knockout stage has also brought deeply personal stories as countries, cultures and identities collide on soccer's biggest stage.

That is especially true for Sounders FC alum Steve Zakuani. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before moving to England at four-years-old, Zakuani will watch the two countries that shaped his life face off in a win-or-go-home Round of 32 matchup at Atlanta Stadium on July 1.

“It was kind of crazy,” Zakuani said, describing his initial reaction when he saw the two countries paired up. “Lots of texts, phone calls from family, Congolese friends, British friends, all of that. Just excitement for myself, it's obviously really cool to see two of my homes get to the next round. I wish they would not have played each other, but I think it will be a good game.”

Zakuani spent most of his childhood in England, living in different areas of London while playing with Arsenal’s Academy. When he looks back on his “true formative years” of getting the ball at his feet for the first time, learning about the game, learning about life, he thinks of London and England.

“Very much culturally I have a lot of British parts to me,” said Zakuani.

But his Congolese roots never left him. Even after leaving DR Congo at a young age, his parents made sure he and his siblings remained connected to their Congolese roots, heritage and ancestry.

“In my house, you know, the food we ate, you know, we spoke French, we spoke our local Congolese dialects as well, the music, the way my parents dressed…It was very much Congolese culture,” said Zakuani.

Fast forward to today, his immediate family still resides in England while members of his extended family are based in DR Congo. Now living in Washington following his professional career in the Pacific Northwest, Zakuani remains deeply connected to both countries through his family ties and the traditions he continues as an adult.

“I eat a lot of British food and I eat a lot of Congolese food,” said Zakuani. “I drink my tea, I watch my British shows, I listen to my Congolese music and watch my Congolese shows as well.”

He sees himself as "one half of each," making him feel "very torn" ahead of tomorrow's head-to-head battle. But Zakuani knows he won't be alone in wrestling with those emotions.

"My situation is going to be played out by a lot tomorrow in London. A lot of Congolese people live in the UK, and I think a lot of our parents will lean more toward Congo. But my generation, who spent more time in the UK than we did in the Congo, is going to be a bit more torn. There are going to be a lot of split loyalties up and down the country tomorrow."

When weighing the two sides, Zakuani admits he'd love to see an underdog story unfold for DR Congo, who have not qualified for a FIFA World Cup since 1974. At the same time, he knows what another World Cup title would mean for England, a team that last lifted the trophy in 1966.

In the end, there won't be a wrong result for the former Sounder. Whichever country advances will be one that has shaped his life.

“This [match] definitely made me reflect and think about how important both [countries] are [to me],” he said. “One of the good things about the World Cup is just that it brings the world together.

“For someone like myself, who's been fortunate to live on three continents [and] traveled to five or six continents at this point, I really see myself as a citizen of the world. So, it's important in those moments to still have [places that feel] like home, and both Congo and the UK feel like home.”