Nkoka Mboladinga attended the Democratic Republic of Congo's match against Colombia, which took place on Wednesday in Guadalajara, Mexico, as part of the second round of the group stage, after missing his country's opening match against Portugal due to quarantine measures to combat the Ebola virus.
Nkoka Mboladinga became famous during the last African Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco for embodying a statue of the late Democratic Republic of Congo independence leader Patrice Lumumba throughout the continental competition
Lumumba Via, as the stylish fan is known for his striking resemblance to the late leader, was in his seat about an hour before the start of the match at the Akron stadium, wearing a bright red jacket and tie, a yellow shirt and blue trousers.
When the match began, he stood motionless on a pedestal behind the Democratic Republic of Congo's bench, raising his right arm.
The famous fan declined to give an interview, but nodded and smiled when asked if he was happy to finally make it to the World Cup.
The match ended with Colombia defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0.
Nkoka Mboladinga had traveled to Kenya and then to Ethiopia seeking a visa to attend the Democratic Republic of Congo's match against Colombia.
Nkoka Mboladinga became a social media sensation during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after he adopted the pose of a Lumumba statue on a pedestal, raising his right hand and remaining still throughout the matches.
Lumumba was an activist who helped end Belgian colonial rule of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1960, became the first prime minister of the newly independent country, and was considered one of Africa’s most promising leaders, but he was assassinated within a year during his struggle against a Belgian-backed separatist movement in the mineral-rich Katanga region.
