Published on 6/19/2026
Football fans, especially those who followed the recent African Cup of Nations, wondered why the famous Democratic Congo fan, who resembles former politician Patrice Lumumba, was absent from his team’s match against Portugal.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo team imposed a dramatic 1-1 draw on Portugal, at the opening of the eleventh group matches, in a confrontation that witnessed the forced absence of the most famous “Tigers” fans in the stands.
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Travel restrictions prevented the famous Congolese fan, Michel Kuka Mboladinga, known as “Lumumba Via”, from being present at NRG Stadium in Houston, due to administrative complications imposed by the American authorities against the backdrop of precautionary measures related to the Ebola virus.
Presidential intervention
Mboladinga (49 years old), who works as a cartoonist for the AS Vita newspaper, gained wide international fame during the recent African Cup of Nations, thanks to his unique method of supporting the morale of the players by standing throughout the 90 minutes without moving, as a tribute to the spirit of the Congolese independence symbol, Patrice Lumumba.
Given the great moral importance he represents for the national team, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi personally intervened at the players’ request, and Mbuladinga was included in the official delegation. He is expected to arrive in Atlanta to join the mission before facing Uzbekistan, scheduled for June 27.
