Congolese football supporter, Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, made headlines throughout the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco after standing throughout the matches of his nation, the Democratic Republic of Congo, as a form of solidarity, support, and becoming the major headliner in the tournament.
While showing support for the Congolese national team uniquely, Mboladinga would eventually collapse after his side lost 1-0 to the Algerian national team in the 119th minute of their Round of 16 encounter. Dressed in his nation’s colours of blue, yellow, and red, Mboladinga’s heart shattered as he was immediately picked by other fans who were in the stands.
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Michel Nkuka Mboladinga became an immediate social media sensation by posing like a statue of the country’s assassinated independence hero, Patrice Lumumba, during matches at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Nicknamed “Lumumba Vea” because of his striking resemblance to the late leader, the always sharply dressed fan raises his right arm and stands perfectly still, copying the pose of Lumumba’s memorial statue in Kinshasa. He holds this position for the entire duration of the matches.
“I stay still to give strength to the team, to pass energy on to the players,” Nkuka Mboladinga told the Associated Press in an interview earlier this week in his hotel room in Casablanca.
He said it would be his last interview before the team faced Algeria on Tuesday in Rabat. Nkuka Mboladinga appeared visibly exhausted by the constant media attention following the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first three matches in the tournament, and frustrated that nearly all media outlets had misspelled his name.
Still, he said he was grateful for the attention and happy to bring Lumumba’s spirit in support of the team.
“He is the one who gave us the freedom to express ourselves,” he said of the Congolese leader. “He sacrificed his life to give us freedom. So he is a hero to us. Lumumba is a spirit to us, a role model for us.”
See more photos of Michel Nkuka Mboladinga below:
