Congolese fans, dressed in traditional kanzaku and leopard print hats, probably know the result. They had an ample supply of number 20 jerseys; Perhaps they knew it was the night of Yone Visa. Perhaps, they knew that if this was their night, it should also be Visa’s night.
It played out to perfect script as Visa pinched a brace to complete a shock comeback against Uzbekistan and Congo secured their first ever World Cup knockout stage with a 3-1 win. Incidentally, it was their first win in the tournament, set up nicely against England in the Round of 32. And they serenaded the stands with his shirts.
A predominantly young crowd, none of them can remember the last time they played in a World Cup. Not one of them was born in 1974; The ruling president was then barely a teenager; The Republic was only 14 years old. Over the course of 52 years, the country endured several regime changes, natural disasters and epidemic outbreaks. The latest, the Ebola outbreak, saw a 21-day quarantine for players attending the World Cup in a bubble in Belgium. Preparations were hit by the cancellation of a friendly with Chile. Once they landed in America, they had to check their temperatures almost every hour for the first week. Due to the Ebola outbreak, some fans at home could not get visas.
But he alighted with a smiling face, wearing a leopard print blazer and his smile widened. The celebrations began after Visa scored the third goal in injury time, a curler from outside the box, a classical Visa strike. Manager Sébastien Desabre will advise them to stay focused and watch the game.
When they overcome their emotions, they break into their traditional dance, Fimbu. The players will gather side by side, hold their left arm up and move it to the right as they move down the pitch in unison. In the background, they played the Congolese pop hit “Fimbu” by Felix Wazeka. The dance – and the name, which translates to whip – have cultural significance. It was once a symbol of Belgian colonial violence, now used derisively.
When the fimbu was finished, they hoisted the visa on their shoulders. Fiston Miley, who scored the second important goal, was pushed away by the broadcasters, to whom he said: “I think what we did today, we showed the world that listen, we have very good players in Congo and we won today.”
The overwhelming fame, however, was on Visa, their most recognized footballer, arguably their best ever. The Newcastle United winger once suffered an acid attack at his home in the French suburbs, where his parents had settled after the country’s political upheaval. He started out as a goalkeeper and enjoyed the duty between the sticks, but his mother intervened and disparaged the coach of the local club to play him in midfield. The coach listened and pushed him forward.
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But football was not his only interest. He played rugby before making the tough decision to quit at 14. He then pursued his dream of becoming a policeman, but soon after he turned 16, French club Chatreaux spotted a scout and took him to the club. “I was unhappy at first, because kids my age were already playing for big clubs. But I decided to give it a try. I’m what I call a late bloomer, but I picked things up early in the academy,” he told the Daily Express. Many clubs from Congo and the English Premier League will thank the scout for luring him to the club.
In no time, he became a central part of their World Cup (although he plays on the left). The manager built a team around him and brought out players from the diaspora spread across Europe. There were others with experience at elite club level. Like the former Manchester United duo of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, arguably still one of the best defenders, and Axel Tuanzebe.
At the heart of the midfield is Samuel Moutousamy, of Congolese and Indo-Guadeloupeian descent, who is the team’s engine room, inspiring the team with words and actions. He once explained his team’s guiding philosophy: “We will leave our souls on the pitch.” They do so with intense and aggressive behavior. Their defense is hard to break down. Portugal and Colombia, who had plenty of ammunition, scored one goal each. The cornerstone is the decisive defense that blocks the passageways. “We have a lot of mental strength. My players know how to fight and react in adverse situations,” manager Desabre said before the World Cup.
He showed that against Uzbekistan, when they were a goal down, the equalizer was fouled out and running into the closing stages, before, inevitably, Wisa equalized in the 68th minute and Miley grabbed another 10 minutes later.
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On a night of no regrets, they had only one. Michelle Kuka Mboladinga aka Lumumba Via, his super fan who is standing still First, for the entire duration of each game, as a tribute to Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, Colombia arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico for the match. But the US visa did not come for Atalanta. He was a late arrival, missing the Houston match against Portugal, and looked elsewhere as Congo made history. In the stands, some fans still posed for him. The Congolese ambassador in Washington had said she hoped to get a visa if Congo made progress. They are over now. He may yet get there.