FIFA World Cup 2026: ‘Lumumba Vea’ arrives to provide a unique form of support for DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo will have the unmistakable figure of Michel Kuka Mboladena in the stands when they play Colombia in Guadalajara on Tuesday, after arriving late to the World Cup to provide his unique support.

Mboladena, who rose to prominence at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco, will be a welcome sight for the Congolese team as they look to build on their opening 1-1 draw against Portugal in Houston.

Dressed in a jacket and tie that resembles his country’s first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, Mboladena stands completely still in tribute to the politician who was murdered by a firing squad in 1961.

Nicknamed ‘Lumumba Vea’ because of his tribute, Mboladena raises his arm to assume a pose similar to the one Lumumba holds in a statue of him in his country’s capital, Kinshasa, and in stark contrast to the lively singing and cheering fans around him.

The Algerian Football Federation apologized to Mboladena during the Cup of Nations after striker Mohamed Amoura mocked him as Algeria knocked the Congolese out of the tournament, sparking a backlash on social media.

Mboladena’s arrival at the World Cup was postponed after restrictions were imposed on travelers from DR Congo due to the Ebola outbreak in the country that has now infected more than 1,000 people and claimed 254 lives.

Published on June 22, 2026