Algeria Issues Apology to Congolese Superfan After Controversial Mimicry

Fri Jan 09 2026 14:41:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Algerian Football Federation apologizes after a player mimics a Congolese fan's tribute to Patrice Lumumba, igniting controversy at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Following an incident during the Africa Cup of Nations, Algeria's football federation has publicly apologized to a Congolese superfan, Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who was mocked by Algerian player Mohamed Amine Amoura. Mboladinga, who dresses as Patrice Lumumba, the first leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was the target of Amoura's actions after Algeria's win over DR Congo. The Algerian federation invited Mboladinga for a friendly meeting and presented him with a jersey as a gesture of goodwill.

Algeria's football federation has apologized 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 like they were heading to penalties before Adil Boulbina scored in the 119th minute, securing a place in the quarter-finals.

Following Amoura's contrite statement, the Algerian Football Association (Faf) invited Mboladinga - who with his hairstyle and glasses looks remarkably like Lumumba - 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.

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.

Algeria have already qualified for the tournament that is being jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States - and Amoura hopes that he will get to see the Leopards there too.