Celebrating Black History Month: Pierre Mwana Kassongo, a Congolese star in the wake of independence

The Foundation for Future London is pleased to honour this year’s Black History Month with reflections from our staff team. Here is an article about 1960s Congolese professional footballer Pierre Mwana Kassongo, who made it to the international sports stage against all odds. He embodies the pinnacle of Black excellence in the cultural world.  This unique slice of history is written by Pierre’s granddaughter, Ketsia-Patience Kassongo, who is the daughter of our Head of Finance, Guy Kassongo. What an incredible family legacy to share with us today. 

Having finally gained independence from Belgian colonial rule, the 1960s saw Congolese people figuring out their identity as newly independent people, no longer bound by the Belgian conceptualisation of what it meant to be Congolese.

For many Africans around this period, newfound independence from Western colonisers came with ambitious plans for state and nation-building, development, improved social cohesion, and a re-centring of traditional culture. Breaking free from the colonial mould was high on the agenda for various African nations, and this required asserting their position both on the African continent and the international stage. In many cases, this process was facilitated by the emergence of exceptional black African talents in various fields, particularly in the music and sports worlds. In the Democratic Republic of Congo – formerly Zaire – one such figure of excellent black talent that emerged, breaking away from colonial stereotypes of Congolese people, was Pierre Mwana Kassongo.

Born to Congolese parents in the province of Haut-Lomami in Kasai, Pierre Kassongo’s talent for football was first noticed by his mother who remarked that of all the toys he owned, he favoured his ball over others- increasingly refusing to play with anything but his football. Over the course of his childhood and adolescent life, his aptitude for football was undoubtedly evident. However, known for his fiery temper, some worried that this would manifest on the pitch and prove to be a struggle in his sporting career.

Despite this, Kassongo was subsequently scouted for the Zairean national team in which he debuted his skills as one of the few players hailing from the Katanga region of Congo. In a 1967, a charity match against Ghana’s Black Stars, nearly 80,000 people witnessed his sporting flair- including Zaire’s President Mobutu, alongside other prominent ministers such as Etienne Tshisekedi. In this match, Kassongo scored all two of the goals that brought victory to the Congolese team, making him a memorable name in the nation. His powerful kicks and skills earned him the nickname “Bombardier”– literally ‘one who releases bombs’.

From 1965 to 1967, Kassongo was chosen to play for the Belgian teams ‘C.S Vervietois’ and ‘ARA Gantoise, now known as K.A.A. Gent. Along with two other Congolese players from Katanga, DRC, Kassongo’s move to Belgium took place to strengthen Belgian teams. This transfer happened at a time where Congolese people were reconstructing their identity as newly independent people and Belgians were forced to accept this new reality: that Congolese people were no longer their colonial subjects or subordinates, but citizens of a sovereign and independent state, able to produce talented and skilled individuals in many areas.

Kassongo’s successful integration in Gent and Verviers (cities in Belgium) marked a critical juncture for conceptions of race, social cohesion and identity for Congolese people moving to Belgium, and the receiving Belgians. Following his successes in the national Congolese football team and in the Belgian clubs, Kassongo was called back to Congo to join the national team once more for the 1968 AFCON tournament.

Taking place in Ethiopia, the 1968 AFCON finals saw Congo beat Ghana 1-0, as a result of Congolese player Kalala scoring a goal that was assisted by Kassongo. This victory led to Kassongo and the rest of the national team receiving great honour and recognition nationwide, including an invitation to a ceremony and reception hosted by President Mobutu, which Kassongo attended with his wife Antoinette and fourth son Guy, an infant at the time. Pierre Kassongo went on to play various matches, including a game against Brazil’s F.C. Santos, wherein Pelé also played against Kassongo’s team in Kinshasa – and lost.

Following his football career, Kassongo went on to coach and manage various Congolese clubs, having been one of the first African football coaches to qualify from the French Football Federation in the early 70s. His story is a remarkable demonstration of how a black African man’s talent helped him overcome racial barriers in a place where racist attitudes to Congolese people were still a fresh memory in Belgium. His talent for football was such that even Belgian communities were able to accept him into their lives and football clubs, despite their recent loss of Congo as their colony.

This remarkable and moving story demonstrates how sporting celebrities can serve as powerful tools to promote social cohesion, break barriers, and overcome difficult circumstances and setbacks that could otherwise prove insurmountable. Sporting celebrities heralding from black and minority communities are particularly inspirational as role models for younger people looking to enter spaces whereby opportunities may prove to be limited due to racial discrimination and bias. These role models who have challenged racial stereotypes through the foregrounding of their excellence and talents are great examples of resilience and their stories continue to inspire many.

Main photo credit: Pierre Mwana Kassongo first from the left on the second row with fellow players from the K.A.A. Gent club in Belgium.