How DR Congo’s fashion-forward fans became talk of Houston’s World Cup

On a wet and humid Wednesday morning, Art Kanjan was ready to watch his country’s soccer team attempt to shock the world against one of the best teams in the world and its megastar talisman—Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Kanjan, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, arrived at Houston Stadium in an outfit more suited to Saturday brunch than a World Cup match. Wearing a striped Gucci shirt and trouser shorts, along with Prada sunglasses and a silk scarf loosely knotted around his neck, Kanjan was spiffy and spirited. 

Kanjan’s crew—all adorned in blends of Congolese soccer paraphernalia like hats, jerseys, flags and high-end fashion brands like Aime Leon Dore, Hermes, Chanel and Louis Vuitton—kept singing a chant in French that needed deciphering. 

“Cristiano is going to s–t himself,” Kanjan said proudly. “He’s going to mess up his day. The score will be Congo 3, Portugal 0.”

While Ronaldo did not end up soiling himself on the grounds in Houston, he was virtually ineffective in just over 90 minutes of action. The Leopards, the nickname of the Congolese national team, pulled up a stunning result with a 1-1 draw against a Portugal team considered by many as top contenders to win the World Cup title. Most moving during the contest was the way the Congolese fans chanted and celebrated throughout the match, as their colorful attire and fancy threads impressed onlookers, including opposing fans. 

“We must do better, because they look great,” Marcos Santos said with a laugh. Santos, a native of Brazil and a resident of Austin, arrived in Houston at 7 a.m. for the match with his girlfriend, Amanda, wearing matching Ronaldo jerseys.

While Portuguese fans may have outnumbered the Congolese during the event, the level of style was clearly raised a notch by the fans of The Leopards. 

“If you know about Congo, we embrace the fashion,” said Vinny, who was born in Kinshasa and resides in Laredo. “We embrace being loud, we embrace making a vibe. So that’s what we do, as you can see.”

Vinny was certainly a vibe on Wednesday, wearing an official Congo national team kit with Cedric Makambu’s No. 17 on the back. Vinny also wore Balenciaga sneakers, Hermes sunglasses, a Guess bucket hat and a scarf, all while exchanging fun banter with Portuguese fans. 

“There’s a bunch of Portuguese fans, but you haven’t heard anything from them,” Vinny said with a smile. “But as you can see, the Congolese are really taking over. That just shows who we are. Very proud of our country.”

Given the weather conditions, that pride deserves a ton of credit, as temperatures edged towards 90 degrees with high humidity and precipitation shifting from light sprinkles to showers ahead of the noon kickoff. Some fans wore fully tailored suits, while others rocked colorful boots and wrapped their heads and faces in their country’s flag to complete their outfits. 

A few dedicated fans even decided to match the players’ outfits when they arrived in Houston on June 12, as Congolese fashion designer Alvin Junior Mak adorned the team in sleek black suits featuring leopard-print fabric across part of the collar, a brooch and a large bag—also in leopard print. 

Mak, founder and creative director of JMAKxPARIS, curated the look as a tribute to Congolese culture, the legendary 1974 Leopards squad, and the enduring influence of La Sape, one of the continent’s most celebrated fashion movements.

“The look overall needed to reflect that of a generation that dares to dream big and believes in its country’s potential,” said Mak on Instagram, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but raised in Paris.

One woman, who could not be identified but wore a nearly identical fit to the players, added a leopard-print garrison hat that earned high praise from fans of both teams. 

“C’est magnifique!” yelled Santos while waiting in line to enter the stadium.

With wait times lasting up to 90 minutes, fans had time to reflect on the glory of the moment. 

“I don’t even care about the wait. Just being out here vibing,” Vinny said while cleaning the fog off his Hermes sunglasses from the humidity. “I don’t know if you can see this from over there [in Congo].

“This is beautiful. It’s what you live for. You live for coming out here and seeing some good events and just forgetting about the stress, forgetting about life, and just enjoying getting together.”