US Edition
Congo's Lumumba Statue Fan Misses World Cup Playoff because of Visa Problems
Michel Nkuka Mboladinga traveled to Kenya and Ethiopia seeking a visa but missed Congo's World Cup playoff in Mexico due to processing delays, organizers said.
- Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who gained international attention posing as a statue of Congo's independence hero Patrice Lumumba, will miss Tuesday's World Cup playoff in Guadalajara, Mexico, despite traveling to Kenya and Ethiopia seeking an emergency visa.
- Nkuka Mboladinga became a social media star at the Africa Cup for posing as a statue of Lumumba on a pedestal with his right hand raised, staying entirely still for games; after Congo was eliminated by Algeria, the Leopards shifted focus to World Cup qualifying.
- Express visa processing requires at least one day even in emergency situations, while travel to Mexico takes 18 to 22 hours with one stopover or up to 30 hours with two, making timely arrival impossible, Nkuka Mboladinga wrote on X.
- Nkuka Mboladinga returned to Kinshasa to support the Leopards remotely, with Journalist Grévy Tambwe telling The Associated Press: "We're a bit heartbroken by this episode but it's OK, we remain in touch with the national team and we'll watch the match together."
- Congo's playoff victory against Jamaica would secure qualification for the 48-country World Cup, coinciding with Belgium's court ordering a 93-year-old former diplomat to stand trial for participation in war crimes related to Patrice Lumumba's assassination.
21 Articles
21 Articles
The first sub-Saharan African selection to have played the tournament, under the banner of Zaire, in 1974, she had a very long empty passage. The Leopards had the opportunity to validate their ticket for the 2026 edition, Tuesday night, against Jamaica.
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