When DR Congo take the field on Wednesday they will be without one of their most notable fans. Throughout DR Congo’s lead up to the World Cup a fan of theirs, standing at the stadium among the DR Congo crowds garnered lots of attention. He has made the trip with the team and is expected to be present for their second match, against Uzbekistan.

His story is one that needs to be explained well. He rose to prominence during the most recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when DR Congo did really well, drawing in the second group match against Senegal and only losing 1-0 to Algeria in the round of 16 of the tournament. However, the tournament’s most intriguing figure wasn’t on the field but in the stands: Michael Mboladinga, a supporter who remained standing, statue-still throughout the match, for a very specific and meaningful reason. 

What’s the story behind? 

The story of DR Congo’s return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they were named Zaire, is fascinating but also sad. In 1974, dictator Mobutu Sese Seko reached deep into Zaire’s World Cup campaign, intervening in team affairs and even influencing substitutions during the team’s disastrous match against Yugoslavia. What followed became one of the most tragic and cautionary tales in World Cup history. 

DR Congo return to the World Cup 52 years after a 1974 trip haunted by the threats and a vicious dictator

Francesco Porzio

It all started 14 years earlier when in 1961, Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of what was known as the First Congolese Republic, was assassinated on January 17, during the Congo Crisis after Congo’s independence from Belgium. Lumumba was executed by officials and soldiers of the breakaway state of Katanga after being transferred there from central Congo. Belgian officers and officials were directly involved in the events that led to his death. Four years later, in 1965, Mobutu Sese Seko seized power in a coup and established a long-running authoritarian regime. In 1971, he renamed the country Zaire, a name it would retain until his overthrow in 1997. Mboladinga’s gesture, maintaining a statue-like pose throughout entire matches, is a tribute to Lumumba and his dedication to the country, it mimics a post of a famous statute of Lumumba. 

At the 2025 AFCON, his gesture became viral on social media and all around the world, but not all of the rival players were aware of it. After their round of 16 defeat against Algeria, Mboladinga was carried out of the stands as a national hero, but Algeria player Mohamed Amine Amoura mocked Mboladinga’s gesture, falling to the ground at the end of the match. He later issued a public apology following the backlash from supporters. In a gesture of reconciliation, the Algerian team invited Mboladinga to its training camp and presented him with a jersey bearing the name “Lumumba” on the back.

After DR Congo secured its place at the World Cup through the playoffs, Mboladinga once again became a national hero. He appeared at public celebrations across the country, emerging as one of the symbols of the historic qualification. In recognition of his popularity and what he represented to supporters, the team invited him to join the official delegation traveling to the World Cup. His flights and accommodation were covered, making him, in many ways, an honorary member of the squad. Despite the Ebola crisis that gripped parts of the country in the lead-up to the tournament, Mboladinga made the journey to the World Cup. His presence serves as a reminder that soccer is about more than results and trophies. Sometimes, it becomes a vehicle for memory, connecting the present to the struggles, sacrifices and stories that shaped a nation.