AFCON farewell for DR Congo superfan Mboladinga ‘Lumumba Vea’, hailed a hero

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1746 EAT on Thursday 8 January 2026

The Democratic Republic of the Congo have exited the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 following a heartbreaking extra-time defeat to Algeria, but their most famous supporter has left a lasting impression on fans and players alike.

Michel Nkuka Mboladinga — who rose to prominence during the tournament for his striking tribute to Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba — has become an unlikely star of AFCON 2025. Popularly known as “Lumumba Vea”, he bade farewell to the tournament on Wednesday after meeting members of the Algerian team at their hotel.

Immaculately dressed in bright-coloured suits, Mboladinga stood out among thousands of DR Congo supporters by remaining motionless with his right arm raised throughout each of his team’s matches at the tournament.

“The fan who went viral for standing still for the entire match has become an AFCON symbol of pride, memory and resilience,” one supporter wrote in a tribute posted on X.

At the start of every match, Mboladinga would step onto his pedestal and strike the pose, emulating the iconic memorial statue of Patrice Lumumba in Kinshasa.

But when DR Congo were eliminated by Algeria following Adil Boulbina’s dramatic 119th-minute winner, the superfan was left visibly devastated.

Affectionately nicknamed “Lumumba Vea” by Congolese supporters, Mboladinga removed his glasses, wiped away tears and, in a poignant final gesture, fell back into the crowd at the end of his team’s last-16 clash.

“He [Mboladinga] is bringing visibility to a historic figure who fought for Congo’s independence and stood in solidarity with the Algerian revolution against occupation,” sports journalist Leyla Hamed wrote, as cited by Al Jazeera.

The Algerian forward later issued an apology on social media, saying he had not been aware of the historical significance of the DR Congo supporter’s gesture.

“I simply wanted to tease, in a good-natured way, without any ill intent,” he wrote. “I respect Congo and its team.”
In a gesture of reconciliation, the Algerian Football Association invited Mboladinga to the team’s hotel on Wednesday, where he met the players and was presented with a personalised Algerian national team shirt bearing the name Lumumba on the back.