Mbina's journey from near-death Malaria battle and French fourth-tier football to UCL goal-scorer

Football sometimes writes strange stories, and the experience of Orphé Mbina is undoubtedly one of them. A few days ago, the Gabonese forward scored his first Champions League goal for Sabah, but his journey began far from there.

In January of this year, the 26-year-old was lying in a hospital bed, battling malaria that almost took his life. Two years before that, he was still playing in the French fourth division, a long way from the Old Trafford pitch and European nights. To get to where he is today, the Libreville-born forward had to patiently wait for his chance.

He played for Balma, Colomiers, and Béziers, and in 2020, he had a brief stint in professional football in Ligue 2 with Grenoble. But because he never truly found his footing, he later had to drop down to Beauvais in the French fourth division, trying to reignite a career that had been slow to take off.

After a difficult season in Oise, he transferred to Chamalières in the summer of 2022, and it was in Auvergne that Orphé Mbina found his turning point. Strong and incredibly fast, he dominated the league, ultimately becoming the top scorer in his group with 17 goals in 29 appearances.

This also caught the attention of Nîmes Olympique, and he joined the team in the summer of 2023. A few weeks later, he made his debut for the Gabonese national team. After one season in Gard, he moved to Slovenia to join Maribor, and was also loaned to Leiria Union in Portugal during that time. For this player, it was a beautiful upward trajectory, but he was also about to face the toughest test of his career.

In January of this year, as he was about to leave Maribor to join Sabah, Orphé Mbina's life suddenly took a turn for the worse. He had just returned from a vacation in Gabon, and upon arriving at his new club, he began to show early symptoms of malaria. His condition rapidly deteriorated, and the club's management in Azerbaijan ultimately decided to send him to the hospital immediately, a decision that saved his life.

"I only discovered this illness after returning from vacation. At that time, I went back to my country to visit my family, and then returned to Maribor, when I was almost leaving the team. After Sabah and Maribor reached an agreement, I went there, and it was at that moment that I felt something was wrong. But I didn't know yet that I had malaria. The club sent me to the hospital because I was really unwell. It was there that I realized the situation was serious, and I was in danger. However, the Sabah club's response was truly excellent and they handled it very well. I will always be grateful to them," the Gabonese international recalled.

Fortunately, after treatment, the 26-year-old was finally able to return to the pitch with the help of time. But after experiencing a moment on the brink of death, he had to regain his feeling, rhythm, and form. Moreover, Sabah had high ambitions in domestic competitions.

"After that incident, returning to the football field was a real race against time, because the club's goal was to win their first league title and cup title in history. It definitely took a long time to recover to 100%. Those days were difficult, but I never doubted that I could return to my previous level, because I had people supporting me in all aspects. But honestly, when you go through something like that, your perspective on life truly changes. You grow as a person and as a player. Things that used to matter a lot no longer bother you as much," he said.

A few months later, fate smiled upon him again. With Sabah's excellent performance and domestic trophies, the Gabonese player finally reached Europe's most prestigious stage with the Azerbaijani team. He first faced Manchester United at Old Trafford, and then Borussia Dortmund. For a player who was still playing in the French fourth division three years ago, such moments are particularly special.

"Just three years ago, I was still playing in the French fourth division. Honestly, looking back at everything I've been through, and the doors that were closed to me, I feel incredibly proud and happy. This is a beautiful victory for me, a source of immense pride and a lot of joy. Did I ever think I'd play in the Champions League one day? Honestly, I didn't think that far. But I knew I had the ability to become a professional player."

And the story isn't over yet. A few days ago, Orphé Mbina scored his first Champions League goal against Viking.

This goal is the best reward for his many difficult years, and just a few months ago, he almost lost his life.

"I first scored against Viking, but I actually should have scored against Manchester United at Old Trafford and also against Borussia Dortmund. Finally, my moment came against the Norwegians. In that moment, there was only happiness, so much happiness that I don't even know how to describe it. Thinking back to all the efforts over the years, and what happened to me in January... only those who have experienced it themselves can understand. That feeling was so intense, so magical, almost unbelievable. But in my heart, that excitement was truly explosive. This goal will always be special until the end of my career, because it will always be my first Champions League goal. Of course, I hope it won't be the last. We should embrace life to the fullest and see what the future holds for us," the Gabonese international added, who has now made 6 appearances for his national team.

From those difficult years to that night in an Azerbaijani hospital, Orphé Mbina has experienced many ups and downs before finally scoring his first Champions League goal. But these experiences have also changed his life in every way...