François Omam-Biyik (born 21 May 1966) is a Cameroonian football manager and former player who works as assistant manager of Cameroon.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 May 1966 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sackbayene, Cameroon | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Cameroon (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | Canon Yaoundé | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1990 | Laval | 81 | (27) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Rennes | 38 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Cannes | 35 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Marseille | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Lens | 53 | (18) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | América | 75 | (49) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | Atlético Yucatán | 21 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Sampdoria | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Atlante[citation needed] | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Puebla | 17 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Cháteauroux | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1998 | Cameroon | 73 | (26) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | EGC Touvent Châteauroux | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Palmeros | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Real Colima | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Saint-Christophe Châteauroux | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | EGC Touvent Châteauroux | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Cameroon (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Gomido | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2019 | US Bitam | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019– | Cameroon (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
A forward, he was one of the most important players of the Cameroon national team in the nineties, playing at the three World Cups in 1990, 1994 and 1998.[1] He played 73 international matches in total.
Early life
editOmam-Biyik started out as a goalkeeper, and later a defender, before converting into a striker at the age of 16.[2]
Club career
editOmam-Biyik had success with different French clubs before moving to Marseille in the summer of 1992. He only played one match, and was transferred to Lens in October 1992.[3] After a few years he continued his career in Mexico with Club América and Puebla F.C.,[4] with short stops in European clubs towards the late nineties. Omam-Biyik retired after the 1999–2000 season.[5]
In 1987 and 1991 he finished third in a run for an African Footballer of the Year award.[5]
In 2003, he played in the Adecmac amateur soccer league in Mexico City with Club Deportivo Sahara, where he scored 10 goals in the season.
International career
editOmam-Biyik's greatest moment came when he scored the downward header that gave Cameroon a historic 1–0 win over defending world champions Argentina in the San Siro in the opening match of the 1990 World Cup.[5][6][7] He and his brother André helped Cameroon to the quarter-finals.[8]
He also scored against Sweden in the first round of the 1994 World Cup.[9]
He was called up to 1998 World Cup, which was his third.[10]
Omam-Biyik scored a total of 26 goals in 73 appearances.[11] He is Cameroon's record World Cup player, with 11 matches in three tournaments.
Style of play
editOmam-Biyik's aerial ability led to the term "Omam-Biyik" being used as a nickname for a headed goal.[5] While he took part in high jumping at school, he says he was "born" with his heading ability.[2]
Managerial career
editFollowing his retirement Omam-Biyik moved to Colima, Mexico, where he was the head coach of the city's Second Division professional soccer team.
Omam-Biyik was appointed assistant coach of the Indomitable Lions (Cameroon football team) for a two-year tenure, with Spaniard Javier Clemente as head coach.
Omam-Biyik became the head coach of Togolese side Gomido FC in May 2013.[12] He pledged to help rebuild the first team but worked with the club for just two months.
On 20 July 2013, Omam-Biyik was signed to coach Gabonese champions Union Sportive de Bitam, replacing his compatriot Thomas Libiih.[13]
At the end of September 2019, Omam-Biyik was appointed assistant manager under newly hired manager Toni Conceição for Cameroon.[14]
Personal life
editHe is the father of Emilio Omam-Biyik and cousin of Francis Eliezer Omam, both of whom are footballers. François' older brother, André,[8][15] and André's son, Jean-Armel,[16] are also footballers.
Honours
editLens
- Coupe de la Ligue: 1994
Cameroon
References
edit- ^ François Omam – FIFA competition record (archived)
- ^ a b Diallo, Raf (15 June 2020). "Omam-Biyik: The man who stunned Argentina at Italia 90". RTE. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ François Omam-Biyik – French league stats at LFP – also available in French (archived)
- ^ François Omam Biyik – Liga MX stats at MedioTiempo.com (archived) (in Spanish)
- ^ a b c d "Cameroon legend Omam-Biyik launches a book". African Football. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ Burnton, Simon (12 February 2014). "World Cup: 25 stunning moments … No1: Cameroon stun Argentina in 1990". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ Janofsky, Michael (9 June 1990). "On World Soccer Stage, a Stunning First Act". New York Times. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ a b "24". FIFA.com. 24 May 2005. Archived from the original on 4 June 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ "1994 FIFA World Cup USA ™ - Matches - Cameroon-Sweden". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ Longmore, Andrew (10 June 1998). "Football: Cameroon seeking unity". The Independent. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ Mamrud, Roberto. "François Omam-Biyik - Goals in International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ "Togo: Oman Biyik, New Coach of 'Gomido'". Télégramme228. AllAfrica.com. 4 May 2013.
- ^ "Omam Biyik entraîneur de l'US Bitam" (in French). Starafrica.com. 2 August 2013. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014.
- ^ Cameroun le nouveau selectionneur et ses adjoints ont officiellement signe, mondialsport.net, 6 October 2019
- ^ Leme de Arruda, Marcelo. "World Cup Trivia - Fathers, Sons and Brothers, Uncles and Nephews". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ Kobo, Kingsley (4 January 2012). "Fifa clears Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik to play for Cameroon". Goal.com.
External links
edit- François Omam-Biyik at National-Football-Teams.com
- François Omam-Biyik – French league stats at Ligue 1 – also available in French
