Photo : EKSRX, CC BY 2.0
Samuel Umtiti
The Yaoundé-born defender who sent France into the 2018 World Cup final
Born in 1993
Cameroonian roots : Born in Yaoundé, he moved to France at the age of two and grew up in Lyon.
Related city : Yaoundé
Who are they?
A centre-back born in Yaoundé in 1993, who moved to Lyon with his family at the age of two. A product of Olympique Lyonnais, he joined FC Barcelona in 2016, then played for Lecce and Lille before announcing his retirement in September 2025.
What made them famous
On 10 July 2018, in the World Cup semi-final in Russia, he headed the only goal of the game against Belgium. Five days later he started the final and became a world champion as France beat Croatia 4-2.
Key facts
- Under-20 world champion with France in 2013.
- With FC Barcelona he won two Spanish league titles (2018, 2019) and three Copas del Rey.
- He won 31 caps for France, scoring 4 goals.
- Recurring left-knee injuries, which kept him off the pitch for long spells after 2018, led him to retire at 31.