Yoane Wissa dedicated his goals that sent the Democratic Republic of Congo into the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time to those suffering back home from a humanitarian crisis caused by war.
Newcastle striker Wissa scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan to give the African side their first ever World Cup win and set up a meeting with England in the last 32.
Eastern Congo has been plagued for three decades by conflict involving a litany of armed groups.
DR Congo is also fighting an Ebola outbreak that has claimed more than 300 lives.
But backed by thousands from the Congolese diaspora in Atlanta, the Leopards roared back from a goal down on Saturday to make history.
"We are a proud country. We are proud people. We love our country. We love our national team. We love what we represent!" Wissa told reporters.
"I think tonight we just showed that what it means for us is just to fight no matter what.
"It's not easy in our country. There's a war in East Congo. Every day, every time we wear this shirt, we think about them.
"That's why tonight, what we show is just to say that guys, no matter what, we need to keep going.
"Because we want peace and for them, I just say 'thank you'. Thank you because we came from far. We came from nothing to be here. Now we write our story with a black pen and we need to be proud."
Wissa's double took his tally for the tournament to three goals after also netting in an impressive 1-1 draw against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
The 29-year-old struggled for form and fitness following a £55 million ($73 million) move from Brentford in September and said his recovery made goals on the global stage all the sweeter.
𝐘𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐀 🤯
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) June 28, 2026
He sends Congo DR straight to the #FIFAWorldCup2026 Round of 32 🇨🇩🚀#DStvFIFAWorldCup2026 | #EverythingCanWait pic.twitter.com/QBBaVXn6cu
"That's why I'm even prouder than everyone else in this room," Wissa told AFP on his battle with injuries during his first season on Tyneside.
"I didn't show my best face at Newcastle, but I knew that my time would come.
"This time is now. I just show to everyone now I'm in a good place. I'm good physically, I'm good mentally. So that's why I'm proud today to show that I'm a good player."
Next up is a clash with England, who remain among the favourites for the competition despite an unconvincing start to their quest to win a first major tournament in 60 years.
"I'm happy with what we accomplished. Now there's another path waiting for us. A big beast is waiting for us," added Wissa.
"We need to enjoy this kind of game. We deserve to play against England, one of the best in the world. I'm looking forward to what's coming next."
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