Joseph Yegba Maya, former Marseille striker, dies at 82

Yegba Maya, known simply as “Joseph,” passed away Sunday at 82 after illness.

The Cameroonian striker wore Olympique de Marseille colors from 1962 to 1970, scoring 113 goals, making him the club’s seventh-highest scorer ever.

His name proved too difficult for French crowds in an era of limited tolerance, so he became “Joseph.” Fans chanted it from the Vélodrome stands, sometimes with joy, sometimes frustration. Born in 1944, the “Indomitable Lion” earned 25 caps and scored 10 goals for Cameroon.

Arriving in Marseille in 1960 to become a railway mechanic, he first played for Gallia Chutes-Lavie. A four-goal cup performance against OM’s reserves caught directors’ attention. He joined while the first team languished in Division 2.

His peak came in 1969-70 with 24 goals. In the 1969 French Cup final against Bordeaux, he scored the winning second goal in a 2-0 victory. That night, he endured racist abuse. In March 1970, he scored five goals in one half against Red Star, still unmatched in French top-flight history.

Transferred to Valenciennes for Daniel Leclercq, he later played for Strasbourg and Beziers, retiring in 1976. A legend forever called Joseph.