Algeria’s football federation has apologised to a Congolese superfan who has become one of the stars of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) being held in Morocco.
Michel Nkuka Mboladinga has supported the Democratic Republic of Congo by dressing up as the country’s revered first leader, Patrice Lumumba, and remaining stock-still throughout every match.
He stood on a pedestal with his right arm raised – just like Lumumba’s famous statue in DR Congo’s capital, Kinshasa – as fans around him cheered.
But after Algeria beat the Leopards on Tuesday, Algerian player Mohamed Amine Amoura faced a backlash for mimicking Mboladinga and falling to the ground as though the statue had been knocked over.
This prompted the 25-year-old forward to post an apology on Instagram, saying his gesture was not intended to disrespect DR Congo.
The Desert Foxes had looked set to go to penalties before Adil Boulbina scored in the 119th minute, securing a place in the quarter-finals, where they face Nigeria on Saturday.
“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, who also plays for the German team Wolfsburg.
Lumumba is not only seen as a hero in DR Congo, where he was assassinated in 1961 in a plot backed by Belgium, the UK and the US, but is also regarded as one of the most prominent voices in Africa’s anti-colonial movement.
After the final whistle on Tuesday at Rabat’s Moulay Hassan Stadium, which saw the Leopards knocked out of the tournament, Mboladinga – who with his hairstyle and glasses looks remarkably like Lumumba – was visibly distraught.
He removed his glasses to wipe away some tears, slowly got down from his makeshift plinth and leant against it with his head in his hands.
The Algerian Football Association (Faf) reached out to Mboladinga following Amoura’s contrite statement and invited him to the hotel where the North African team are staying in Rabat to meet the players.
The superfan was not able to get to Morocco’s capital so Faf’s media officer Saïd Fellak travelled to Casablanca’s Novotel Hotel to see him and other Congolese supporters on Wednesday evening.
There Fellak presented Mboladinga with his own Desert Foxes jersey with the name “Lumumba” printed on the back.
Videos and photos of the entente cordiale, also attended by Congolese Sports Minister Didier Budimbu, were captured by Congolese fans, showing Mboladinga next to Fellak with his new football shirt.
It is not clear if the Lumumba superfan and his pedestal will make it to Mexico, where the Leopards are expected to play in March’s highly anticipated intercontinental World Cup qualifiers.
Six teams will compete to be allocated the final two places up for grabs for the World Cup, which kicks off in June.
Algeria have already qualified for the tournament being jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, and Amoura hopes to see the Leopards there too.
“I respect Congo and their team. Honestly, I wish them the best and hope they qualify for the World Cup,” he said.
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