François Omam-Biyik

Omam-Biyik started out as a goalkeeper, and later a defender, before converting into a striker at the age of 16.^[3]

Omam-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.^[4] After a few years he continued his career in Mexico with Club América and Puebla F.C.,^[5] with short stops in European clubs towards the late nineties. Omam-Biyik retired after the 1999–2000 season.^[6]

In 1987 and 1991 he finished third in a run for an African Footballer of the Year award.^[6]

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.^{[citation needed]}

Omam-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.^[6][7][8] He and his brother André helped Cameroon to the quarter-finals.^[9]

He also scored against Sweden in the first round of the 1994 World Cup.^[10]

He was called up to 1998 World Cup, which was his third.^[11]

Omam-Biyik scored a total of 26 goals in 73 appearances.^[12] He is Cameroon's record World Cup player, with 11 matches in three tournaments.

Omam-Biyik's aerial ability led to the term "Omam-Biyik" being used as a nickname for a headed goal.^[6] While he took part in high jumping at school, he says he was "born" with his heading ability.^[3]

Following 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.^[13] 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.^[14]

At the end of September 2019, Omam-Biyik was appointed assistant manager under newly hired manager Toni Conceição for Cameroon.^[15]

He is the father of Emilio Omam-Biyik and cousin of Francis Eliezer Omam, both of whom are footballers. François' older brother, André,^[9][16] and André's sons, Jean-Armel,^[17] and Enzo,^[18] are also footballers.

International

More information National team, Year ...

Appearances and goals by national team and year^[1]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Cameroon	1985	10	2
	1986	4	2
	1987	16	7
	1988	1	0
	1989	7	4
	1990	8	1
	1991	4	2
	1992	5	1
	1993	5	2
	1994	4	1
	1995	1	0
	1996	3	2
	1997	3	0
	1998	6	3
Total		77	27

Close

Scores and results list Cameroon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Omam-Biyik goal.

More information No., Date ...

List of international goals scored by François Omam-Biyik

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	15 September 1985	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Saudi Arabia	1–0	4–1	Friendly	[19]
2	4 October 1985	King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabia	1–1	1–2	Friendly	[20]
3	11 December 1986	Malabo, Equatorial Guinea	Chad	1–1	3–1	1986 UDEAC Cup	[21]
4	19 December 1986	Bata, Equatorial Guinea	Chad	3–1	4–1	1986 UDEAC Cup	[22]
5	29 March 1987	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Uganda	3–1	5–1	1988 African Cup of Nations qualification	[23]
6				4–1
7	11 April 1987	Nakivubo Stadium, Kampala, Uganda	Uganda	1–3	1–3	1988 African Cup of Nations qualification	[24]
8	20 April 1987	Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat, Brazzaville, Congo	Gabon	2–0	2–0	1987 Central African Games	[25]
9	27 April 1987	Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat, Brazzaville, Congo	Congo	–	3–0	1987 Central African Games	[26]
10	5 July 1987	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Sudan	1–0	2–0	1988 African Cup of Nations qualification	[27]
11	14 November 1987	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Ghana	2–2	2–2	1988 Summer Olympics qualification	[28]
12	22 January 1989	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Gabon	1–0	3–1	1990 FIFA World Cup qualification	[29]
13	25 June 1989	Estádio da Cidadela, Luanda, Angola	Angola	1–1	2–1	1990 FIFA World Cup qualification	[30]
14	27 August 1989	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Nigeria	1–0	1–0	1990 FIFA World Cup qualification	[31]
15	19 November 1989	El Menzah Stadium, Tunis, Tunisia	Tunisia	1–0	1–0	1990 FIFA World Cup qualification	[32]
16	8 June 1990	San Siro, Milan, Italy	Argentina	1–0	1–0	1990 FIFA World Cup	[33]
17	28 April 1991	Stade Modibo Kéïta, Bamako, Mali	Mali	2–0	2–0	1992 African Cup of Nations qualification	[34]
18	28 July 1991	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Guinea	1–0	1–0	1992 African Cup of Nations qualification	[35]
19	16 January 1992	Stade de l'Amitié, Dakar, Senegal	Zaire	1–1	1–1	1992 African Cup of Nations	[36]
20	10 October 1993	Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon	Zimbabwe	1–0	3–1	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification	[37]
21				2–0
22	19 June 1994	Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States	Sweden	2–1	2–2	1994 FIFA World Cup	[38]
23	18 January 1996	FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa	Egypt	1–0	2–1	1996 African Cup of Nations	[39]
24	24 January 1996	Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa	Angola	1–0	3–3	1996 African Cup of Nations	[40]
25	31 May 1998	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	1–0	2–0	Friendly	[41]
26	5 June 1998	Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark	Denmark	1–0	2–1	Friendly	[42]
27				2–0

Close

Lens

• Coupe de la Ligue: 1994

Cameroon

• African Cup of Nations: 1988^[43]
• Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1985^[44][45]