Congolese fan Mboladinga Lumumba Vea exits AFCON with hero status

Democratic Republic of Congo Exits AFCON After Loss to Algeria

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 after losing to Algeria in an extra-time match. The team’s most prominent supporter, Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, met with the Algerian team at their hotel on Wednesday.

Mboladinga, known for his unique tribute to Patrice Lumumba, became a fan favourite and social media star during the tournament. He would stand still with his right arm raised during all of his team’s games, emulating a memorial statue of Lumumba in Kinshasa. The gesture earned him widespread recognition and admiration from fans.

However, Mboladinga was left devastated after Algeria scored a 119th-minute goal to knock the DR Congo out of the tournament. In his final act, he fell back into the crowd at the end of the match. An incident involving Algerian player Mohamed Amoura further added to the emotional toll on Mboladinga.

Amoura was seen mimicking Mboladinga’s pose and falling to the ground in celebration, which sparked widespread criticism on social media. The Algerian forward later posted an apology on social media, stating that he wasn’t aware of the meaning and history behind his gesture. He expressed respect for Congo and its team.

In a gesture of goodwill, the Algerian Football Association invited Mboladinga to meet with the players at their hotel. As a token of appreciation, they presented him with a personalised Algerian team shirt featuring Lumumba on the back. The DR Congo team will now focus on qualifying for the World Cup 2026 by booking a spot in the inter-confederation playoff final on March 31.

Source: Al Jazeera