Iconic Moments in Football No.37
The name Mwepu Ilunga isn’t one known by most football fans. One crazy kick that he did on a football field though is one of the most iconic moments of footballing history.
Ilunga was part of the Zaire team who qualified for the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. And yes, it was he who ran out of the Zaire defensive wall to belt the ball away in the game against Brazil.
The moment is laughed at and many thought that he was naive and didn’t know the rules of the game. Sadly, this is not the case and there is a much more dark and sinister background to that moment on the 22nd June 1974.
The truth is that Zaire President Joseph Mobutu had threatened the squad if they lost heavily to Brazil in their final group game.
Mobutu sent guards to the team hotel before the game against the holders and the squad were told that if they lost by four or more goals, none of them would return home.
Zaire had performed relatively well in their first game, but still lost 2-0 to Scotland. Their second match against Yugoslavia however, was an absolute annihilation.
Yugoslavia beat ‘The Leopards’ 9-0 and riled President Mobutu so much that he decided to get involved directly with the team’s affairs. He then made the decision to send in the guards to issue the threat to the squad.
Five minutes remained and nerves were jangling among the Zaire players. Brazil were winning 3-0 and they had a free-kick outside the box. Rivelinho and Jairzinho waited over the ball.
Suddenly, Mobutu broke free from the Zaire wall and promptly cleared the ball away. It was fear that caused Mobutu to kick the ball away as he feared for his and his squad’s safety.
Despite the dark story behind the moment of madness, it remains an iconic moment in World Cup history.
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