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While Hiannick Kamba is not a household name in European football, Schalke fans might be aware of the name. The defender came through the Bundesliga club's academy, which produced world beaters like Mesut Ozil, Leroy Sane and Manuel Neuer.
Kamba, though, couldn't make the cut as a Bundesliga regular and decided to return to his home country Congo in Africa in 2016. A shock news percolated later that year that the former Schalke star had died in an accident.
A local newspaper also ran an obituary, and Kamba's wife released an emotional statement on the same. However, in 2019, Kamba was spotted in the streets of Germany.
It was reported that Kamba and his wife collected a mega sum of €1.2 million by scamming their insurance company about the former player's death. The court sentenced the couple to three years and ten months in jail for fraudulent behavior.
Kamba is now back in Congo with his two-year-old son. He recently told BILD:
“I'm innocent. I am very disappointed in Germany. They had and still have zero evidence against me, but first they want to send me to prison and then deport me. Then I'd rather go to Africa voluntarily."
Kamba added:
“Germany wants to portray me as evil just because I once played for Schalke. For me, nobody did their job properly. Judges, prosecutors, criminal investigators and the police.
"As a foreigner, you don't have any advantages with something like that anyway, even if you're innocent. Unfortunately, that is the truth.”
How many games did Hiannick Kamba play for Schalke?
Despite coming through Schalke's youth academy, Hiannick Kamba never made an appearance for their senior team. The player, though, was a teammate of Mesut Ozil at youth level.
Kamba made 40 appearances for the Bundesliga club's under-19 side, scoring one goal. He made 19 appearances for the second side. Whether he played alongside Ozil is unclear, though.
Kamba's story, though, is quite stunning. The 36-year-old called time on his professional football career in 2016. Vfb Hills was his last club.
