DR Congo has one of the loudest silent supporters at the World Cup.
Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, better known as “Lumumba Vea,” has become one of the country’s most recognizable fans for a match-day routine that stands out precisely because he barely moves.
While other supporters sing, dance and wave flags, Mboladinga stands still for the full match, often with one arm raised in the air.
The pose is not just for show.
It is a tribute to Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first prime minister after the country gained independence from Belgium in 1960, Fox Sports reported.
Mboladinga’s raised-arm stance is meant to echo the memorial statue of Lumumba in Kinshasa and draw attention to the country’s history.
Patrice Lumumba was killed in 1961, less than a year after becoming prime minister.
That has turned Mboladinga’s stillness into one of the more unusual and powerful fan images of the tournament — a living tribute in the middle of the noise around him.
DR Congo opened its World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal, one of the notable results of the early group stage.
Mboladinga was not in the stands for that match because of health and travel complications due to the ebola outbreak in the Congo.
But he made it to Guadalajara for DR Congo’s second Group K game against Colombia at Estadio Guadalajara, a 1-0 loss.
His return gave DR Congo back one of its most distinctive presences as the team continued its World Cup campaign.
For most soccer supporters, passion is measured in noise.
For Lumumba Vea, it comes through stillness.
His motionless pose has made him a symbol of Congolese pride, connecting DR Congo’s World Cup run to the country’s past.
DR Congo plays Uzbekistan next on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
