Silas Wamangituka will make a remarkable statement on the website of his club VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday. The right midfielder came to Europe in 2017 with false identity papers and thus played under a false name for four years. The age he stated also turns out to be incorrect: he is exactly one year older.
His real name is Silas Katompa Mvumpa, he recently informed VfB Stuttgart. He was born on October 6, 1998 in Kinshasa (Congo), exactly one year earlier than he stated. The age of the midfielder is therefore not 21 but 22 years. In the French and German media there have been rumors for a long time about the false identity of the player. Fearing the consequences, he kept his mouth shut for years. Thanks to the confidence from Stuttgart and the support of his new agent, the African recently opened up about things.
Mvumpa, the name he will go through from now on, was taken over by Stuttgart from Paris FC in 2019 and had a starting spot for the past two years. “I have lived in constant fear for the past few years and I was also very worried about my family in Congo,” he explains about his situation. “It was a difficult step for me to reveal my story. I only dared to do this with the support of my new advisors. It became clear to me that I don’t have to be afraid anymore and that we can put everything on the table together. I would not have dared to take this step if Stuttgart had not become a second home for me where I feel safe.”
In 2017, the then nineteen-year-old Mvumpa was invited for a training internship at Anderlecht. For this he received a visa for Belgium in his correct name. Anderlecht wanted to sign the midfielder, but asked him to travel back to Congo and travel back with a new visa. In that situation, Mvumpa was put under great pressure by his Belgian agent, whose name is known at Stuttgart. The representative told him that he would not be allowed to return to Europe if he went to Congo. Mvumpa then ended up in the grip of the agent. He lived in Paris for a while with his agent, who cut him off completely from the outside world. The agent provided him with a new identity during that period.
According to Stuttgart’s assessment, the agent did not do this with the motive of increasing the chance of a right of residence in Europe. It made Mvumpa blackmailable, increasing his reliance on the agent. The young player, who was also concerned about his family in Congo, came under great psychological pressure. His salary was not paid to him, but he only got a share from his broker. The agent also constantly threatened that Silas would never be allowed to play football again.
Mvumpa is very relieved that his secret has been revealed. “I hope I can also encourage other players who have similar experiences with brokers,” he responds. “I am very grateful to VfB Stuttgart for all the confidence and support they have shown during this time.” Stuttgart is currently investigating legal action against Mvumpa’s former agent.