François Omam-Biyik

François Omam-Biyik did not need constant involvement to change the emotional temperature of a match. Tall, athletic and spring-loaded in the air, he was a centre-forward built on leap, timing and sudden impact rather than endless combinations or delicate orchestration. His header against Argentina in the opening match of Italia 1990 became one of African football’s great symbolic moments, but reducing him to that goal would be lazy, and also a bit criminal. At club level, especially in France, he showed pace, physical presence and a useful instinct for attacking crosses and broken defensive lines. He was not a refined playmaker-striker or a cold statistical machine, but when the ball arrived early into the box, defenders had a real problem above their heads. A powerful, spectacular forward with historic weight and one of the most famous jumps in World Cup history.