Modeste Mbami is no more. The former Cameroonian international passed away this Saturday, January 7, in Havre,France. The erstwhile PSG and OM player reportedly suffered from a cardiac arrest.
For starters, Mbami was Olympic champion in 2000, when Cameroon beat Spain on penalties in the final. He equally was finalist in the 2003 Confederations Cup – when thee Indomitable Lions were beaten by France in extra time and a finalist in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
At club level, Mbami came from Cameroon’s second division championship in 2000 with Dynamo Douala.
He later was transferred to Paris SG, where he won the Coupe de France in 2004 against LB Châteauroux, when he played in Ligue 2, then in 2006 against Olympique de Marseille. He was also Vice-Champion of France during the 2003-04 season.
At the ranks of Olympique de Marseille, he was vice-champion of France twice during the 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 seasons as well as a finalist in the 2007 French Cup.
Mbami’s reference game for Cameroon came in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
Cameroon pulled a 2-1 upset off men’s soccer favorite Brazil in the Olympic quarterfinals at Brisbane.
Rather than backing off because they were short-handed, the Africans broke away with three men attacking two Brazilian defenders in overtime, paving the way Modeste Mbami’s winning goal in the eighth minute of the second overtime. The victory earned Cameroon a semifinal berth against Chile.
By Brian Mboh