Ilunga Mwepu
Encyclopedia
Mwepu Ilunga is a former football
defender from Zaire (now DR Congo)
. His name is also written as Alunga Mwepu.
, then called Zaire, during the 1974 FIFA World Cup
, where he became famous for running out of his team's defensive wall and kicking away a Brazilian
free kick in the group match between the two nations (the final match in Group 2) before the ball was in play. He was subsequently cautioned, however, some commentators felt that he seemed oblivious as to what he had done wrong.
However, Ilunga has claimed that he was quite aware of the rules – as would be expected from an experienced player in a successful side – and was hoping to convince the referee to send him off. The intended red card would have been a protest against his country's authorities, who were alleged to be depriving the players of their rightful earnings. Zaire went on to lose that match 3–0. They also lost their first two matches to Scotland
2–0 and Yugoslavia
9–0.
Zaire were then the first sub-Saharan African team to qualify for the World Cup finals, however during the tournament the players discovered they would not be paid. Beyond his comic action for everybody against Brazil, there was a lot of despair: according to him, in a relact to Brazilian FourFourTwo
, Mobutu Sese Seko
's guards (who were getting the promised money) threatened the players if they lose for more than 3 goals against Brazil. "Most of the Brazilian players and the crowd thought that it was all hilarious, amateur act. I just could scream 'you cursed!' for all them, because nobody there knew the pressure that we was living".
He played club football for TP Mazembe
in his native Zaire.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
defender from Zaire (now DR Congo)
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. His name is also written as Alunga Mwepu.
Biography
Ilunga played for his countryCongo DR national football team
The Congo DR national football team is the national team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is controlled by the Fédération Congolaise de Football-Association , and are nicknamed The Leopards.Congo have been ranked as high as 51 in the FIFA Rankings...
, then called Zaire, during the 1974 FIFA World Cup
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
, where he became famous for running out of his team's defensive wall and kicking away a Brazilian
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
free kick in the group match between the two nations (the final match in Group 2) before the ball was in play. He was subsequently cautioned, however, some commentators felt that he seemed oblivious as to what he had done wrong.
However, Ilunga has claimed that he was quite aware of the rules – as would be expected from an experienced player in a successful side – and was hoping to convince the referee to send him off. The intended red card would have been a protest against his country's authorities, who were alleged to be depriving the players of their rightful earnings. Zaire went on to lose that match 3–0. They also lost their first two matches to Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
2–0 and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
9–0.
Zaire were then the first sub-Saharan African team to qualify for the World Cup finals, however during the tournament the players discovered they would not be paid. Beyond his comic action for everybody against Brazil, there was a lot of despair: according to him, in a relact to Brazilian FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo is a football magazine published by Haymarket. Published monthly, costing £4.50, and at about 164 pages long, it published its 200th edition in February 2011...
, Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
's guards (who were getting the promised money) threatened the players if they lose for more than 3 goals against Brazil. "Most of the Brazilian players and the crowd thought that it was all hilarious, amateur act. I just could scream 'you cursed!' for all them, because nobody there knew the pressure that we was living".
He played club football for TP Mazembe
TP Mazembe
Tout Puissant Mazembe, formerly known as Englebert, are a Congolese football club based in Lubumbashi. Their home games are played at Stade Municipal de Lubumbashi. Its nickname is Les corbeaux despite having a crocodile with a ball in its mouth on the team crest...
in his native Zaire.
External links
- The most extreme case of a professional footballer's ignorance of the game's most basic rules - The Guardian accessed 23 March 2006.
- Mwepu Ilunga's defensive flair - Youtube