Orphe Mbina: From malaria ordeal to Champions League breakthrough

Orphe Mbina has gone from France’s fourth tier to scoring in the Ligue des Champions with Sabah FC after overcoming a life-threatening bout of malaria.

The 26-year-old Gabonese striker began his rise with Grenoble, Beauvais and Chamalieres. During his time with Chamalieres, he finished as the leading scorer in his group with 17 goals.

Mbina then moved to Nimes before joining NK Maribor. His next step took him to Portugal, where he played in the championship with Uniao de Leiria.

His progress was suddenly interrupted in January last year after he returned from a holiday in Gabon. As he prepared to join Sabah FC, Mbina became seriously ill with malaria and his condition deteriorated rapidly.

The Azerbaijani club took him to hospital as an emergency. In an interview with Foot Mercato, the Gabon international recalled the ordeal, which came close to costing him his life, and thanked Sabah FC for the care he received.

After surviving the illness, Mbina had to rebuild his physical strength gradually before he could return to competitive football.

A few months later, he was given the chance to make his Ligue des Champions debut with Sabah FC. His European campaign included matches against Manchester United at Old Trafford and Borussia Dortmund.

That journey reached another significant moment when Mbina scored his first Ligue des Champions goal against Viking.

The goal came only a few months after his battle with malaria, adding another chapter to a career shaped by setbacks and recovery.

Mbina’s path from N2 to the C1 now includes some of European football’s biggest stages. After spending much of his career working his way forward in difficult circumstances, the Gabonese forward is now able to savour each moment at the highest level.