Modeste M’bami (born 9 October 1982 in Yaoundé) is a Cameroonian footballer who currently plays for French club Le Havre.

Club career

M’Bami started his career in his home country by playing for Dynamo Douala but was quickly spotted by foreign clubs. He joined CS Sedan Ardennes during the summer of 2000. Despite his young age, M’bami played ten matches in his first season in the French first division 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 to French second division and M’Bami decided to sign a five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain for 5 million euros after his agent Willie McKay halted advanced discussions with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

During his first season with Paris Saint-Germain, M’bami 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 the French first division and won the French Cup. The club’s 2004–05 season was less successful, in which M’bami was struggling with an injury. The 2005–06 season saw M’Bami help Paris Saint-Germain to another French Cup title, while the club finished 9th in the league.

In August 2006, after three years at Paris Saint-Germain, M’Bami was transferred to arch-rivals Marseille, signing a 3-year contract, and thus renewing his midfield partnership with Lorik Cana, who had signed for Marseille the season before.

He left Marseille after his contract expired in summer 2009 and has since had trials at English Premier League clubs Portsmouth F.C., Bolton Wanderers, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic. After his contract ended with French club Marseille he moved on 30 September 2009 for a trial with the Spanish club UD Almería, later Almería completed the purchase of the midfielder, the Cameroon player signed a contract with the Spanish club.

In July 2011, M’bami and Juanito were released from Almería. Then he joined China League One club Dalian Aerbin and was loaned to Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai immediately. M’bami 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. M’bami transferred to Saudi Premier League side Al-Ittihad in July 2012.

In 2014 the Cameroonian player arrives to Colombia brought by Juan Manuel Lillo, the coach of one of the most important teams in the country, Millonarios F.C., from the capital city Bogotá. M’bami was hired to play as a defensive midfielder and signed a contract for the 2014 – 2015 season.

International career

M’bami showed his talent on the international scene at a very young age. He won the Olympic football games with his country in 2000 in Sydney, also scoring the Golden goal against Brazil during the quarter-finals. He was also in the team when Cameroon reached the finals of the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2003 and was part of the 2004 African Nations Cup team, who finished top of their group in the first round of competition, before failing to secure qualification for the semi-finals. M’bami was also in the Cameroonian national football team that disappointingly failed to qualify for the 2006 German World Cup as they finished second in their qualification group behind the Côte d’Ivoire.

Career statistics

Chinese league career statistics

(Correct as of 1 March 2012)

International goals

Honours

With Cameroon national football team

• Olympic Games: 2000
• Confederations Cup: 2003 Runner Up

With Paris Saint-Germain

• Coupe de France: 2004, 2006

With Ittihad FC

• King Cup of Champions: 2013