Less than three minutes after his second half entry on Stade Velodrome for the Europa League first leg semi-final match against Salzburg on Thursday, 26 April, Olympique Marseille (OM) 14-shirted forward, Clinton Mua Njie, displayed fine football made at Les Brasseries du Cameroun football academy. 

Substitute Njie served Dimitri Payet on the left flank, then controlled the return ball in the box before firing the second goal that sent the over 62,000 OM fans into uncontrollable ecstasy. With a 2-0 home win, the Indomitable Lion dreams of making it to the Europa League final when they travel to Austria for the return leg semi on 3 May 2018. Clinton Njie’s 62nd minute-clinical goal is his first in nine Europa League appearances this season. Nonetheless, “Papi Mukala” (nickname), has been on target with Marseille seven times in the Ligue 1 championship and one time in the French Cup.

In Cameroon, the native of Buea in the South West Region is listed amongst the goal poachers in the den. His swift playstyle and dribbles have fetched him seven international finish goals in 22 caps with the Indomitable Lions and a coveted Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2017 trophy in Gabon. Very few knew the discreet and soft-spoken attacker until September 2014 when he mesmerized spectators with his speed and violent shots that were on target three times during Cameroon’s 2015 AFCON qualifiers against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ivory Coast.

On the professional scene, after a remarkable performance with French Ligue 1 side Lyon, the 1.7 metres tall footballer signed a 5-year juicy contract worth 17 million Euros (about 11 billion FCFA) on 15 August 2015 to play with English Premier League club, Tottenham Hotspur. But Emilia Njuma’s son stay at Tottenham was short-lived. Clinton Njie, 24, returned to the French first tier championship, where he has been defending the colours Olympique Marseille from 2016 till date. Love wise, he is not yet married, but it is rumoured he is dating a Cameroonian movie actress and producer.