Who is DR Congo fan standing like a statue at World Cup? Meet Lumumba Vea

In DR Congo's second match of the 2026 World Cup, get ready to meet their most famous fan − who stands like a statue.

DR Congo faces Colombia in Group K action in Guadalajara Stadium on Tuesday, June 23, and for the first time in the tournament, Les Léopards will have Lumumba Vea in the stands. The name might not ring a bell, but one look at him and you'll recognize exactly why he is the most well-known fan of the team.

Real name is Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, Vea is known for standing completely still throughout the game − for all 90 minutes − like a statue with his arm raised in a colorful suit.

Why does he do it? He does it to honor DR Congo's first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, who helped lead the country to independence from Belgium in 1960 before he was assassinated a year later. Vea dresses like Lumumba and poses like the statue of him in Kinshasa, the capital city of DR Congo.

While he's been doing it since 2013, he first went viral during the most recent Africa Cup of Nations this past winter.

Lumumba Vea makes it to DR Congo World Cup match

When DR Congo qualified for the World Cup in March, the country's leadership came together to ensure Mboladinga would be able to enter the United States for the tournament. He wasn't able to attend the first match of the World Cup against Portugal because he was quarantining due to the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.

Luckily, he was all good to go after that, and on his way to Mexico to be in attendance for the second group match.

There's a possible chance Mboladinga could stay for awhile as DR Congo has one point in the group after a 1-1 draw against Portugal, giving the team an opportunity to make the knockout round for the first time in history.