Jorthy Mokio, who was born in the Belgian city of Ghent, became the second Ajax youngster to pick another country over Belgium, following Rayane Bounida, who chose to represent Morocco in March.
In an interview with De Telegraaf, Mokio explained that after announcing he was undecided between Belgium and the D.R. Congo, his parents' country, the process quickly sped up.
"I decided to follow my instincts and make myself available for the Congo. So I hope to be able to play for them soon," said Mokio.
World Cup in doubt
Mokio made his professional debut for the Belgian national team in March 2025. FIFA's laws could prevent Mokio from playing for D.R. Congo at the upcoming FIFA World Cup, as there must be 3 years between games for different nations.
"It’s wonderful that Congo has managed to qualify. If it is feasible and I am called up, then I am certainly ready for it. And if not, I will definitely support the team from here, together with the fans.”
Despite having played for Belgium, the Congolese national team continued to appeal to Mokio. "They’d shown interest before, but at the time I was still too young to make a definitive choice," Mokio continued.
"Over time, my connection to the country where my roots lie has grown stronger. I now feel this is the right moment to act on that and set a course.”
Falling out with parents
Jorthy Mokio recently renewed his contract with Ajax until 2031 - a decision that cost him his relationship with his father, who allegedly had extremely high financial demands and wanted his son to make a big-money transfer.
After turning 18, Mokio handled the contract negotiations himself and came to an agreement with the Amsterdam club, going against his father's wishes.
"I told myself I had to speak up for myself and listen to myself. See how things go and see what the future might bring. It was different; it was my first time. I’m proud of how it went, and I have no regrets," Mokio said on the club website.