Joseph Yegba Maya, the powerful Cameroonian striker who left a lasting mark on French football with Olympique de Marseille and RC Strasbourg, died on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the age of 82. He passed away in Chambéry following an illness, drawing tributes from the clubs where he built his reputation during the 1960s and 1970s.
Yegba Maya Scores 113 Goals for Marseille
Yegba Maya initially put his football talents to use for Dragon Club de Yaoundé in the first division before arriving in Marseille in 1960 to join his older brother, Marcel. Over eight seasons with the club, the forward scored 113 goals in 236 appearances. That prolific run places him among the club’s all-time leading scorers, with records noting him variously as the seventh or fourth highest scorer in Marseille history behind prominent names like Josip Skoblar, Gunnar Andersson, and Jean-Pierre Papin. During his tenure at Marseille, he scored the club’s first goal in an official European competition during the Karl Rappan Cup and later helped secure the 1969 Coupe de France by scoring in a 2-0 victory against Bordeaux.
Stints in Valenciennes, Strasbourg, and Béziers
After his successful years in Marseille, Yegba Maya moved to Valenciennes in 1970 alongside manager Robert Domergue, where he contributed 28 goals in Division 2 during the 1971-72 campaign to help the club secure promotion. The forward later left this team to join Valenciennes in an exchange with Daniel Leclerc. In the summer of 1973, he transferred to RC Strasbourg at the request of Domergue, arriving to succeed Marco Molitor at the point of the attack. The Strasbourg club noted that he played 36 matches and scored 14 goals for the Alsatian side, establishing himself as the fourth African player in the club’s history. Impeded subsequently by injuries and a drop in efficiency, he left Strasbourg in the winter of 1974 for Béziers, where he was replaced by the Pole Jarosik. He finished his professional career with AS Béziers in 1976 and later settled in Néfies, near Béziers, where he lived until his passing.
International Success with Cameroon
On the international stage, Yegba Maya represented the Cameroon national team. He was part of the squad that finished in third place at the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations. Reflecting on his role as a forward in a 1973 interview preserved by Strasbourg, he described his tactical philosophy simply: The centre-forward as I conceive him disrupts a defense and moves constantly. You shouldn’t see him often, but when you notice him, it makes a hit!
Club Tributes and Legacy in French Football
Following news of his death, Olympique de Marseille issued a statement offering sincerest condolences
to his family and loved ones. RC Strasbourg also released a tribute on its official channels, remembering him as a powerful striker who remained among the top 50 goalscorers in the history of the French championship.
