Traffic cones on statues and a sea of orange: The traditions taking over the World Cup

Good luck from Germany," another wrote.A Balkan earworm at its finest.The Democratic Republic of Congo has a secret weapon at this year's World Cup.The nation's football team do not just have the typical 26-man squad, but an extra key member: Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, better known as "Lumumba Vea".He is not your ordinary DR Congo fan.Instead of displaying passionate support for his team in the form of cheering, Mboladinga will stand perfectly still for the entire match, arm raised in a significant pose.His outfit is deliberate too So he's a hero for us, Lumumba is a spirit for us, he's a model for us."The super-fan has been attending games as a living statue since 2013, but became famous more recently during the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations.Mboladinga was not in attendance for DR Congo's opening match due to a mandatory quarantine because of the Ebola outbreak.