superfan

Heartbroken after his team’s loss to Algeria, Mboladinga won over fans and left a lasting impact on the tournament.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo have exited the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 after a heartbreaking extra-time loss to Algeria, but their most famous supporter has made a lasting impact on football fans and players.

Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who became an instant fan favourite and social media star for his unique tribute to his nation’s hero Patrice Lumumba, bid farewell to AFCON after a meeting with the Algerian team at their hotel on Wednesday.

Dressed sharply in bright-coloured suits, Mboladinga stood out among the thousands of DR Congo fans by standing still with his right arm raised during all of his team’s games at the tournament.

“The fan who went viral for standing motionless through the full match becomes an AFCON symbol of pride, memory, and resilience,” a fan wrote in a tribute on X.

At the beginning of every match, Mboladinga would step on his pedestal and hold the pose, emulating a memorial statue of Lumumba in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

But when his team were knocked out of the tournament by Algeria with a 119th-minute goal from Adil Boulbina, he was left devastated.

Nicknamed Lumumba Vea by Congolese supporters, Mboladinga took off his glasses, wiped away his tears and, in his final act, fell back into the crowd at the end of his team’s last-16 tie.

To add insult to injury, Mboladinga was apparently mocked by Algerian player Mohamed Amoura, who ran to the Congolese end, mimicked the fan’s pose and fell to the ground in celebration.

Amoura’s gesture was widely criticised on social media, with fans calling for him to apologise to Mboladinga and the Congolese nation.

“He [Mboladinga] is bringing visibility to a historic figure who fought for Congo’s independence and stood in solidarity with the Algerian revolution against occupation,” wrote sports journalist Leyla Hamed.

The Algerian forward later posted an apology on social media, saying he wasn’t aware of the meaning and history of the gesture of the DR Congo fan.

“I simply wanted to tease, in a good-natured way, without any ill intent,” he wrote.

“I respect Congo and its team.”

In order to make further amends, the Algerian Football Association invited Mboladinga to the team’s hotel on Wednesday. He met with the players and was given a personalised Algerian team shirt with Lumumba emblazoned on the back.

DR Congo are ranked 56th in FIFA’s world rankings and have a shot at qualifying for the World Cup 2026 by booking a spot in the inter-confederation playoff final on March 31.

SINGER Susan Boyle treated Hollywood pal Timothée Chalamet to a rendition of happy birthday after he named her one of his greatest living Brits.

The chart-topper, 64, filmed the sweet Instagram video to mark the A-lister turning 30 yesterday which ended with her blowing him a kiss.

She wore a blue hoodie he gifted her celebrating the release of his latest blockbuster Marty Supreme.

SuBo and Timothée — boyfriend of model and Keeping Up With The Kardashians star Kylie Jenner — struck up an unlikely friendship this month after he gushed about her iconic Britain’s Got Talent debut.

In the 23-second clip, she tells the Dune leading man: “Timothee have a wonderful 30th.

“All the best, love Susan.”

New Yorker Timothée began his career as a child actor but shot to fame after starring in coming-of-age film Call Me By Your Name.

Comedy Marty Supreme was released on Boxing Day and sees him play a table tennis champion determined to reach the top of the sport.

During an interview to promote the film, he named Susan, of Blackburn, West Lothian, one of his favourite Britons alongside David and Victoria Beckham and F1 hero Lewis Hamilton.

The actor hailed her for wowing Simon Cowell and the BGT judges with her performance of Les Miserables classic I Dreamed A Dream in 2009.

He was just a schoolboy when she blew them away with her incredible rendition before revealing she lived alone with her cat and had never been kissed.

Timothée said: “Who wasn’t moved by that? I remember that like it was yesterday.

“She dreamt bigger than all of us.”

Susan has since sold 20 million records — including two US No1s.