The icing on the cake for the now 18-year-old Mbemba came when he was called up for the DRC's Africa Cup of Nations squad for the 2013 event in South Africa, though he was not used in any of the matches with Leroy's team knocked out of the competition after drawing all three of their games.

How Mbemba's career pans out remains to be seen. Whatever happens, he is likely to be remembered as the player who had four birthdays.

Additional reporting by Saskya Vandoorne and Alex Felton