Drama at AFCON as Algeria star accused of disrespecting iconic Lumumba tribute

For 119 minutes, Michel Kuka Mboladinga stood absolutely still in the stands. Known lovingly as Lumumba among DR Congo supporters, he had become one of the unforgettable images of AFCON 2025. With his arm raised high as a tribute to Patrice Lumumba, the nation’s first prime minister and independence icon, he turned himself into a living symbol of hope, resistance, and Congolese pride.

He did not move through almost two hours of tense knockout football against Algeria in the Round of 16. Every pass, every missed chance, and every nervous second unfolded while he remained frozen in emotional devotion. He has done that throughout the tournament.Then came the moment that shattered everything.

In the 119th minute, just when penalties seemed inevitable, Adil Boulbina scored the stunning, decisive goal. The deadlock broke. So did Lumumba.

For the first time all match, he moved. His hand came down. His face disappeared behind his palms. And he cried. Not just for a match, but for a dream that slipped away in the most painful way possible. DR Congo’s tournament ended in a single cruel moment.

As the stadium celebrated on one side and broke on the other, another moment added fuel to emotions. Footage spread online showing Algeria’s Mohammed Amoura briefly mimicking the raised arm pose during the celebration. Some fans laughed it off as football banter. Others saw it as deeply disrespectful to a supporter who had earned admiration across Africa for his powerful tribute. Social media exploded. Debates began. Was it harmless joy or a gesture that crossed a line?

Lumumba later shared how broken he felt after the late goal and the bitter manner of defeat. His grief, replayed across television screens and timelines, reminded everyone that football is never just about the scoreboard. It carries identity, history, dignity, and pride. Sometimes the heaviest weight inside a stadium sits not on the pitch, but in the stands.

As Algeria advanced to face Nigeria in the quarter finals, that single image of a proud man finally overwhelmed by emotion became one of the defining pictures of AFCON 2025. It captured what African football so often represents. It is joy and heartbreak. It is humour and heated debate. It is passion that runs far deeper than ninety minutes. What happens next also matters. Will there be statements or responses about the celebration moment? AFCON delivered another moment that will live long in memory. Not just for the goal, but for the tears that followed.