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 Mbami playing forMarseille | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1982-10-09)9 October 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Yaoundé, Cameroon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 7 January 2023(2023-01-07) (aged 40) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Le Havre, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Dynamo Douala | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | Sedan | 68 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2006 | Paris Saint-Germain | 83 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Marseille | 77 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Almería | 58 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Dalian Aerbin | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | →Changchun Yatai (loan) | 15 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Al-Ittihad | 20 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Millonarios | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Le Havre[3] | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 343 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2009 | Cameroon[2] | 37 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Modeste Mbami (9 October 1982 – 7 January 2023) was a Cameroonian professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder. Mbami played for clubs in France, Saudi Arabia, and Cameroon, most notablyParis Saint-Germain andMarseille, both of which inLigue 1.
Born inYaoundé, Mbami started his career in his home country playing for Dynamo Douala but was quickly spotted by foreign clubs.
Mbami joinedSedan during the summer of 2000. Despite his young age, Mbami played ten matches in his first season inDivision 1 and helped his club to finish fifth. He rapidly became a team regular and played 60 matches in the two following seasons. In 2003, the club was relegated toLigue 2 and Mbami decided to sign a five-year contract withParis Saint-Germain for €5 million after his agent Willie McKay halted advanced discussions with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
During his first season with Paris Saint-Germain, Mbami was associated with another young defensive midfielder,Lorik Cana. Despite their lack of experience, they played a big part in the club's good season, where Paris Saint-Germain finished second in Ligue 1 and won theCoupe de France. The club's 2004–05 season was less successful, in which Mbami bami was struggling with an injury. The 2005–06 season saw Mbami help Paris Saint-Germain to another Coupe de France title, while the club finished 9th in the league.
In August 2006, after three years at Paris Saint-Germain, Mbami was transferred to arch-rivalsMarseille, signing a three-year contract, and thus renewing his midfield partnership with Lorik Cana, who had signed for Marseille the season before.
Mbami left Marseille after his contract expired in the summer of 2009 and has since had trials atEnglish Premier League clubsPortsmouth,Bolton Wanderers,Wolverhampton Wanderers andWigan Athletic.[4] After his contract ended with Marseille he moved on 30 September 2009 for a trial with the Spanish clubUD Almería, later Almería completed the purchase of the midfielder, the Cameroon player signed a contract with the Spanish club.
In July 2011, Mbami andJuanito were released by Almería. Then he joinedChina League One clubDalian Aerbin and was loaned toChinese Super League sideChangchun Yatai immediately. Mbami returned to Dalian Aerbin in 2012. However, he could not play for Dalian Aerbin in the 2012 league season due to the foreign players restricted rule. Mbami transferred toSaudi Premier League sideAl-Ittihad in July 2012.
In 2014 he moved to Colombia joiningMillonarios, from the capital cityBogotá. Mbami was hired to play as a defensive midfielder and signed a contract for the 2014–15 season.[5]
Mbami won theOlympic football games with his country in 2000 inSydney, also scoring thegolden goal againstBrazil during the quarter-finals. He was also in the team when Cameroon reached the finals of theFIFA Confederations Cup in 2003 and was part of the2004 African Cup of Nations team which finished top of its group in the first round of competition, before failing to secure qualification for the semi-finals.[6]
Mbami was also in theCameroon national team that failed to qualify for the2006 FIFA World Cup as it finished second in its qualification group behind theIvory Coast.[7]
Mbami acquiredFrench nationality bynaturalization on 26 December 2005.[8]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(January 2023) |
In November 2019 he turned down a coaching job with the Cameroon national team.[9]
On 7 January 2023, Paris Saint-Germain announced that Mbami had died of aheart attack, at the age of 40.[10][11]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 May 2002 | Parken Stadium,Copenhagen, Denmark |  Denmark | 1–2 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 29 January 2004 | Stade Taïeb El Mhiri,Sfax, Tunisia |  Zimbabwe | 5–3 | 2004 African Cup of Nations | |
| 3 |
Paris Saint-Germain
Ittihad FC
Cameroon
Cameroon U-23
Cameroon squads | |||||||||||||||||||
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