Who is the DR Congo fan who stands still at the FIFA World Cup 2026? The story behind Michel Nkuka Mboladinga - and his statue pose

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During the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K match between DR Congo and Colombia, you may have noticed a Congolese fan, sporting eye-catching colours, stood on a pedestal. That would be Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, the man who went viral during this year's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

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Mboladinga, who is nicknamed Lumumba Vea by his compatriots, performs the gesture in tribute to Patrice Lumumba, who served as the first prime minister of the newly independent DR Congo in 1960, and is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Africa's anti-colonial movement.

Mboladinga made his World Cup bow in DR Congo’s 1-0 defeat against Colombia, having missed the tournament opener against Portugal because of Ebola quarantine requirements.

As at AFCON, where he attracted widespread attention on social media, Mboladinga stood perfectly still by the DR Congo bench, with his right arm raised, emulating a memorial statue of Lumumba, which stands in Kinshasa, the country's capital.

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He holds the pose while standing on a pedestal, and is celebrated by fellow DR Congo fans as he does so.

His nation were eliminated in the round-of-16 at AFCON to Algeria, sunk by a 119th-minute winner from Adil Boulbina, when it seemed the tie would go to penalties.

Mboladinga, according to a report, removed his glasses to wipe away some tears before stepping down from the pedestal with his head in his hands.

There was controversy surrounding the aftermath of Boulbina's goal, as Algeria's Mohamed Amine Amoura celebrated by appearing to mock Mboladinga's pose and falling to the ground.

He later clarified via a statement on social media that he was not aware of the story behind Mboladinga's tribute.

Michel Nkuka Mboladinga before the Colombia game

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"At that moment, I wasn't aware of what the person or symbol in the stands represented," said Amoura.

"I simply wanted to joke around, in a good-natured way, without any ill intent or desire to provoke anyone."

The Algerian Football Association also contacted Mboladinga and offered him the chance to meet their squad, but when he was not able to travel to Morocco, where the team was based, he was presented with an Algeria shirt with 'Lumumba' printed on the back.

DR Congo are making their first World Cup appearance since 1974, when they competed in West Germany as Zaire.

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