Congolese Football Legend Mulamba Passes Away Aged 70

The Central African world of football is mourning the loss of Congolese legendary striker Pierre Ndaye Mulamba, who passed away in South Africa on Saturday afternoon after a long battle with illness.

Close family members have confirmed to Ducor Sports that Mulamba passed away while undergoing treatment in Cape Town, five months after his admission at an unnamed hospital.

The 70-year-old enjoyed a successful stint as a striker with DR Congo, Kasai Renaissance Club and AS Vita during his heydays.

Mulamba holds the record of the highest goalscorer in an Africa Cup of Nations finals with 9 goals in 6 matches at the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt.

He was also part of the first sub-Saharan team to contest a World Cup finals, even though Zaire were humiliated in Germany: beaten by Scotland (0-2), Yugoslavia (0-9) and Brazil (0-3).

In 1994 the Confederation of African Football honored him for the record he set 20 years previously, inviting him to a ceremony in Tunis where he was presented with a medal.

Congolese authorities also decorated Mulamba with the National Order of Leopards. He also received the FIFA Centennial Merit Medal.

He was once erroneously reported dead which resulted in a minute’s silence being observed for him at the 1998 Nations Cup.

Mulamba had left his home country in 1996 after soldiers stormed his house, killing his 11-year-old son Jeff and shooting the Nations Cup legend in his left leg.

He eventually ended up working as a car guard in Cape Town, living in a small room provided by a generous local and living off handouts from Congolese friends.