¡VAMOS CONGO! - 52 years in the making
Congo, hermano, ya eres mexicano...
When The Democratic Republic of Congo and Jamaica entered overtime, the air was thick with the expectation of penalties. Jamaica was dangerous near the goal but DR Congo had more shots on target and clearly more control on the pitch. When Axel Tuanzebe finally scored at the 100th minute mark, the stadium exploded.
52 years since the last World Cup appearance. An African nation watching a player hailing from a war-torn region, Bunia, score the consequential goal. A stadium in Guadalajara that had little connection to their cause — and chose to support anyway. Mexico's heated rivalry with Jamaica in CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) partly explains the partisan crowd, but this game forged a special and historic bond between the World Cup Host Nation and DR Congo. Along with “boos” when Jamaica had the ball, the stadium was roaring with pro-DR Congo chants – including “Congo, hermano, ya eres mexicano” meaning “Congo, brother, you are now Mexican.”
The diaspora came from everywhere. “I saw a family of like 8-9 people maybe a bit more I don’t recall the exact number, but they all had the Congo kit and they were from the US and I was so happy to see all the diaspora coming together for Congo.” Kevin, a Congolese diaspora fan from Belgium who is currently an exchange student in Monterrey, shared this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to support his team since most games are hosted in Africa. He also connects this moment to the on-going conflict in the country –“It means a lot for us. Our country has been suffering for years now, especially in the east, and obviously that won’t make the problems end, but it’s good to give Congolese people a moment of joy.”
Nyenemo Sanguma, a Congolese fan based in Kinshasa, may have been one of the families Kevin spotted at the airport. He’s been traveling to support the Congolese team for 16 years, since 2010, and now brings his sons to join the tradition. He shared, “This World Cup qualification for the Leopards is like a pain killer that is very much needed because the Congolese have been going through havoc, with the civil wars, government mismanagement. Although this qualifcation will not end our suffering, it will bring joy and reunite Congolese to back their team at the World Cup.”
For a Congolese diaspora advocate originally from Goma, now based in Seattle, the trip was personal in a way that went beyond football. “2025 was an incredibly heavy year for me and for many of us. Watching my hometown of Goma in North Kivu endure an unjust invasion and ongoing occupation has come with a deep physical, mental and emotional toll. Being in Guadalajara was a chance to stand with fellow Congolese around something that brings genuine joy, while still carrying the reality of what our people are facing.”
On what the qualification means beyond the pitch: “It carries the weight of everything our people are enduring. At a time when many Congolese are living without safety or stability, this moment becomes a powerful expression of resilience. It invites the world to see us in our full humanity — with pride, culture, and dignity — rather than through exploitation, erasure, and massacres for the resources beneath our land.”
Three Congolese fans, three geographies, one sentiment. This game went beyond the pitch – it spoke to the diaspora, the country, and most importantly, the people who continue to face violence and displacement in Eastern Congo.
Not everyone came with a personal connection to the country. Giovanni is tapatío (term for Guadalajara native) who’s been following African teams since the 90s, when Nigeria knocked Mexico out of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He began following DR Congo because they were rivals of Nigeria, but what led him to do further research was a fan paying tribute to Patrice Lumumba (I explained why he was absent from this game in my pre-match post). At Estadio Akron, he watched the joyful energy of Congolese fans spread until the whole stadium was behind them. What surprised him most was “so many fans from the DRC in the stadium, because in the days leading up to the match they hadn’t really been visible. Also, it’s a country that is very far away, although I knew many of them live in the U.S.”
An African-American digital nomad based in Guadalajara notes that she was concerned about potential racism at the match given the presence of two Black-majority teams, only ending up surprised at the level of support DR Congo received. Racism in football is not new — from Balotelli to Vini Jr., who has filed 20 cases of racist abuse, most recently in February 2026 — which made the warmth DR Congo received in Guadalajara all the more notable.
Following the game, I met Jean Bosco Kakozi Kashindi, originally from DR Congo and currently a professor and researcher at El Colegio de México in Mexico City. He had already been following the team’s journey, including the friendly match against Bermuda on March 25th in Guadalajara. Seated close to the field, he was moved by the thousands of Congolese fans alongside a stadium of Mexicans cheering them on.
Para mí fue muy, muy, muy emotivo…52 años — fue emotivo, histórico. El 31 de marzo es muy histórico para Congo.
What surprised him most was the breadth of support. “Me sorprendió ver prácticamente a todos los mexicanos apoyando al Congo. No era un partido como Brasil — países pequeños, una selección africana que no llama la atención de mucho — pero muchísima gente mexicana apoyando, y africanos de otros países: Eritrea, Camerún, Burundi… Congo representaba al continente africano.”
The history-making goal was scored by Axel Tuanzebe — born in Bunia, in the heart of Eastern Congo’s conflict zone, and now honored for wearing the Leopards’ jersey in Guadalajara. Some wins land as heavy as the moment demands. From the African diaspora’s support to Mexican fans breaking down in tears, this win carried the emotional weight of a new generation setting a new narrative for their nation.
I captured the energy in a vlogito (lil vlog). And on the same day DR Congo made history, Eritrea also progressed in qualifications for AFCON — evoking very different emotions. Initial thoughts are in my pre-match post. More to come.
Studio Notes:
Youtube - Experience the incredible energy game-time energy in my vlogito!
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