Algeria has moved to repair relations after an incident involving a Congolese superfan who has become a standout figure at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Michel Nkuka Mboladinga has captured attention by silently supporting DR Congo while dressed as Patrice Lumumba, the nation’s first prime minister. He remained perfectly still on a small platform during every match, raising his right arm just like the famous statue in Kinshasa, as supporters around him cheered passionately.
The situation escalated after Algeria’s victory over the Leopards on Tuesday, when Algerian forward Mohamed Amine Amoura was filmed imitating Mboladinga before theatrically falling, as if toppling the statue.
The gesture was widely criticised online, prompting the 25-year-old Wolfsburg player to issue a public apology on Instagram.
"At that moment, I wasn't aware of what the person or symbol in the stands represented. I simply wanted to joke around, in a good-natured way, without any ill intent or desire to provoke anyone," said Amoura.
The match itself was tense, with Algeria looking likely to go into a penalty shootout before Adil Boulbina’s goal in the 119th minute sent the Desert Foxes through to the quarter-finals, where they will meet Nigeria on Saturday.
Lumumba, assassinated in 1961 in a plot backed by Belgium, the UK, and the US, is remembered as a leading voice in Africa’s fight against colonialism. His legacy has made Mboladinga’s tribute a powerful symbol across the continent.
Following DR Congo’s elimination, Mboladinga was visibly emotional at Rabat’s Moulay Hassan Stadium. He removed his glasses, wiped away tears, and slowly stepped down from his pedestal, leaning against it with his head in his hands.
After Amoura’s apology, the Algerian Football Association reached out to Mboladinga and invited him to meet the team at their hotel in Rabat. Unable to travel to the capital, he was visited instead by Faf’s media officer, Saïd Fellak, at Casablanca’s Novotel Hotel, along with other Congolese fans.
During the visit, Fellak presented Mboladinga with a Desert Foxes jersey featuring “Lumumba” on the back. The gesture was captured in photos and videos by fans and was also attended by Congo’s Sports Minister Didier Budimbu, showing an effort to smooth relations after the controversy.
It is not yet confirmed if Mboladinga and his platform will appear again when DR Congo take part in the intercontinental World Cup qualifiers in Mexico this March. Six teams will compete for the final two spots at the World Cup, which begins in June.
Algeria have already qualified for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Amoura expressed hope that DR Congo will also make it to the global stage.
"I respect Congo and their team. Honestly, I wish them the best and hope they qualify for the World Cup," he said.
