Congo DR's fan Michel Kuka Mboladinga arrives at the Guadalajara Stadium ahead of the 2026 World Cup Group K football match between Colombia and Democratic Republic of Congo. | Photo Credit: AFP

The 2025 African Cup of Nations was a festival of football that provided a number of iconic moments, until the final and after. However, outside of the football, outside of the controversies, stood one memorable DR Congo fan.

Dressed in a colourful suit, stood still on an elevated pedestal, his right arm raised slightly bent, a statue-like figure amidst the chaos. The fan was soon nicknamed “Lumumba Vea” after the figure he was paying tribute to.

On Tuesday, Lumumba Vea made his first appearance at the FIFA World Cup, at the Estadio Guadalajara as DR Congo took on Colombia in a group-stage game.

Who is the fan?

The fan, his real name Michel Kuka Mboladinga, is a 49-year-old who shot to fame with his statuesque tribute to Patrice Lumumba during AFCON 2025. He was regularly shown on the television broadcasts, barely reacting or even moving during the game. His suit always featured blue, red and yellow, the colours of the Congolese flag. Other aspects of his apperance, such as his glasses and hairstyle, have also been styled to look like the “original” Lumumba. The pose he takes up is based on a statue of Patrice Lumumba in Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo.

Before games, Mboladinga claims he trains keeping his hand motionless above his head for fifty minutes at a time. He also mentally prepares himself to stay statuesque despite the atmosphere around him.

Mboladinga was unable to support his team at their World Cup playoff in Mexico in March due to visa issues. There were also concerns he would be unable to travel to the World Cup to support the team as well.

While Mboladinga was not present at DR Congo’s first match at the tournament, a 1-1 draw against Portugal, due to visa issues, he has been able to travel to Mexico ahead of the side’s second game against Colombia.

Who was Patrice Lumumba?

Patrice Lumumba was a Congolese politician, and a notable figure in DR Congo’s struggle for liberation from colonial rule. He founded a new political party, which worked on promoting unity and a goal of independence, in 1958. After Congolese independence in 1960, Lumumba was elected as independent DR Congo’s first-ever Prime Minister.

In the modern day, Lumumba still lives in the memory of Africans, not just the Congolese. Mboladinga’s tribute is proof that he is still a big part of public memory.

“Lumumba Vea”, while also being a symbol of strength for fans and players alike, is also a fan at heart. After DR Congo’s last-minute 1-0 extra-time loss to Algeria in the 2025 AFCON Round of 16, he was seen breaking down in tears and eventually fell back into the crowd. However, his dedication and presence likely motivated the players to give their all. Now, his seat (or pedestal) in the crowd at the World Cup will likely have importance to the fans around him, as well as to the players on the pitch.

Published on Jun 24, 2026