Every World Cup seemingly has a million stories — but few as stirring as that of France’s Rio Antonio Mavuba. He faces Germany in Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal, playing for his adopted country — adopted because he was born not in Paris or in Lyon but in a boat, a refugee whose parents were desperately trying to escape civil war.
Thirty years ago, Mufuila Mavuba — a 1974 World Cup player for Zaire — boarded a boat for France with his pregnant Angolan wife, Theresa, to escape the civil war ripping her country apart. Rio Antonio was born March 8 off the coast of West Africa, and 30 years later, he’s following in his father’s World Cup footsteps.
“In my passport says ‘Born at sea,’ As for the rest, I do not ever talk about them. In fact, I never wanted to know the history of our migration,’’ Mavuba told the website Betshoot.com. “What I know is that I was born on a ship, which secretly started one night off the coast of West Africa, moved by the beach and then followed the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula before reaching the French port of Marseille in March 1984.
“I was born stateless during this long journey. My mother, Teresa, was from Angola. In this boat while crossing the icy waters of the Atlantic, my father, Ricky, gave me the name ‘Rio,’ which means ‘river.’ ”
Mavuba never got the chance to learn too many of the details, even if he had wanted to. His mother passed away when he was just 2 years old, and his father — known as the Black Sorcerer for his corner kicks — died 10 years later. Raised by his stepmother in Bordeaux — a diverse town with a number of immigrants from Africa — Mavuba threw himself into soccer to drown his grief and fill the void.
Within seven years, he had made his pro debut, within eight, he had made the French national team. And to this day he’s still a proponent of sports being used to help refugees.
“Yes, of course. I had this experience firsthand,’’ Mavuba told UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. “It’s a good way to forget the problems and share in something with other people. Ninemillion [a UNHCR campaign to bring education and sports to refugee children] is a good initiative, and maybe one day I can promote it for my young African compatriots in DRC.’’
Mavuba’s first appearance for France came on Aug. 18, 2004, in a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Two current Red Bulls players, Thierry Henry and Peguy Luyindula, both started alongside Mavuba that day, and both consider him a friend.
“I know him very well,’’ Luyindula told The Post. “He’s a good guy who really looks [out] for people, tries to help, and his foundation means a lot. He’s doing it not just because he was born on a boat, but because he cares about children and about the way they’re going to be raised in a poor country like the Congo. He’s a good person. Maybe it’s because of his background and he has to somehow repay.
“When you know him, deep inside you know he’s a good guy and he’s doing it because he cares about people, and especially kids. I played against him, and his father … knew my father back in the day. They were playing against each other, because my father was a national team player for the Congo. We met like this, and we talked, and I know his uncle.’’
Mavuba made coach Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad this year, and despite the loaded central midfield with Paul Pogba and Yohan Cabaye, he got into the 3-0 group stage rout of Honduras on June 15 as a sub.
“He’s a loyal guy, honest,’’ Henry told The Post. “He’s a good player, good on the ball. He burst onto the scene early, then had a couple of years where [he struggled], but it’s how you respond. He responded well, made the national team again. He’s a good player. His story’s a bit unusual, born on a boat. As you can imagine, he went through some stuff in life that’s way more difficult than dealing with football.
“So that’s why he responded well. He’s a competitor. He has that in his blood. … Nice dude. He’s chill. He loves to joke. But the most important thing is [he’s] a winner. That’s what I remember most about him. Always he arrived at the national team and was young, he has that winner mentality. He’s the captain with Lille, and there’s no question why. He’s a born winner.’’
If Les Bleus claim the World Cup, perhaps Mavuba’s passport should be amended to read: Not “born at sea,” but born a winner.