François Omam-Biyik (born 21 May 1966) is a Cameroonian football manager and former player who works as assistant manager of Cameroon.
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. He played 73 international matches in total.
Early life Omam-Biyik started out as a goalkeeper, and later a defender, before converting into a striker at the age of 16.
Club career 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. After a few years he continued his career in Mexico with Club América and Puebla F.C., with short stops in European clubs towards the late nineties. Omam-Biyik retired after the 1999–2000 season.
In 1987 and 1991 he finished third in a run for an African Footballer of the Year award.
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 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. He and his brother André helped Cameroon to the quarter-finals.
He also scored against Sweden in the first round of the 1994 World Cup.
He was called up to 1998 World Cup, which was his third.
Omam-Biyik scored a total of 26 goals in 73 appearances. He is Cameroon's record World Cup player, with 11 matches in three tournaments.
Style of play Omam-Biyik's aerial ability led to the term "Omam-Biyik" being used as a nickname for a headed goal. While he took part in high jumping at school, he says he was "born" with his heading ability.
Managerial career 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. 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.
At the end of September 2019, Omam-Biyik was appointed assistant manager under newly hired manager Toni Conceição for Cameroon.Cameroun le nouveau selectionneur et ses adjoints ont officiellement signe, mondialsport.net, 6 October 2019
Personal life He is the father of Emilio Omam-Biyik and cousin of Francis Eliezer Omam, both of whom are footballers. François' older brother, André, and André's sons, Jean-Armel, and Enzo, are also footballers.
Career statistics International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsCameroon19851021986421987167198810198974199081199142199251199352199441199510199632199730199863Total7727
Scores and results list Cameroon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Omam-Biyik goal.
+ List of international goals scored by François Omam-BiyikNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon1–04–1Friendly2King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia1–11–2Friendly3Malabo, Equatorial Guinea1–13–11986 UDEAC Cup4Bata, Equatorial Guinea3–14–11986 UDEAC Cup5Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon3–15–11988 African Cup of Nations qualification64–17Nakivubo Stadium, Kampala, Uganda1–31–31988 African Cup of Nations qualification8Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat, Brazzaville, Congo2–02–01987 Central African Games9Stade Alphonse Massemba-Débat, Brazzaville, Congo–3–01987 Central African Games10Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon1–02–01988 African Cup of Nations qualification11Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon2–22–21988 Summer Olympics qualification12Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon1–03–11990 FIFA World Cup qualification13Estádio da Cidadela, Luanda, Angola1–12–11990 FIFA World Cup qualification14Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon1–01–01990 FIFA World Cup qualification15El Menzah Stadium, Tunis, Tunisia1–01–01990 FIFA World Cup qualification16San Siro, Milan, Italy1–01–01990 FIFA World Cup17Stade Modibo Kéïta, Bamako, Mali2–02–01992 African Cup of Nations qualification18Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon1–01–01992 African Cup of Nations qualification19Stade de l'Amitié, Dakar, Senegal1–11–11992 African Cup of Nations20Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon1–03–11994 FIFA World Cup qualification212–022Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States2–12–21994 FIFA World Cup23FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa1–02–11996 African Cup of Nations24Kings Park Stadium, Durban, South Africa1–03–31996 African Cup of Nations25Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg1–02–0Friendly26Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark1–02–1Friendly272–0
Honours Lens Coupe de la Ligue: 1994
Cameroon African Cup of Nations: 1988 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1985
References
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