Nicolas Nkoulou
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 07/2016
Personal information
Full name
Nicolas Alexis Julio Nkoulou Ndoubena
Date of birth
27 March 1990
Place of birth
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Height
1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position
Defender
Club information
Current team
Lyon
Number
3
Cameroon
Olympique Lyonnais 2016-
Article
Youth career
Kadji Sports Academy
AS Monaco
2007-2008
Senior career
Monaco
2008-2011
78x apps / 0x goal
Marseille
2011-2016
162x apps / 5x goals
Lyon
2016-
0x apps / 0x goal
National team
Cameroon U23
2008
3x apps / 0x goal
Cameroon
2008-
68x apps / 1x goal
(* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:41, 8 May 2016 (UTC). - National team caps and goals correct as of 3 December 2015)
Nicolas Alexis Julio Nkoulou Ndoubena, commonly referred to as Nicolas Nkoulou, is a Cameroonian footballer currently playing for Olympique Lyon.
Club career
Nkoulou began his career at Kadji Sports Academy in Douala, the same academy that produced the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Carlos Kameni, and Eric Djemba-Djemba.
In late 2007, it was announced that he was acquired by the principality-based side AS Monaco FC.
He agreed to a three-year professional contract.
He spent the latter portion of the 2007-08 season playing with Monaco's CFA squad, before joining the squad for preseason in July 2008, where he was handed the number 3 kit.
He made two appearances during the pre-season starting their opening friendly match against fellow Ligue 1 side Toulouse FC and also starting against Croatian side NK Zagreb.
He made his professional debut on 13 September 2008 in a 2:0 victory over FC Lorient starting the match before being substituted in the 65th minute.
He has started every match since playing the full 90 minutes in them all.
He has yet to score a goal.
His performances with Monaco have led to him being scouted by several prominent European clubs.
English clubs Arsenal and Hull City, Spanish sides Sevilla and Atlético Madrid, and French champions Olympique Lyonnais have all declared their interests in the Cameroonian defender.
On 29 June 2011, N'Koulou passed his medical and signed for four years with Marseille.
5 years later, after his contract with Marseille expired, he signed a four year contract with Ligue 1 2015/2016 runners-up - Olympique Lyon.
International career
N'Koulou was included in the Cameroon U-23 squad that participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
He helped the squad reach the knockout round, where they were eliminated by Brazil.
He would make his international debut in the senior squad on 19 November 2008 in a friendly against South Africa.
The 45-year-old succeeds his compatriot Patrice Neveu, who was sacked in August after the team exited qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
Frenchman Troussier, 59, is a former coach of the Japan and Ivory Coast national teams.
Ivory Coast international midfielder Max Gradel has signed a new contract with French club Saint Etienne.
Cameroon international Clinton N'Jie signed a contract extension with French Ligue 1 side Lyon and then scored his first goal for the club.
Barrada started his career at Paris Saint-Germain before making his name in Spain with Getafe. The 25-year-old scored 15 goals in 34 appearances for Al Jazira last season.
The 24-year-old Senegal international has moved to Upton Park after agreeing a four-year contract. His 43 goals over the last two seasons helped Metz win back-to-back promotions into France's Ligue 1.
Frenchman Herve Renard has been appointed coach of Ivory Coast. The 45-year-old had two spells as Zambia coach and led them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012.
The 21-year-old right-back played in all of his country's matches at the World Cup in Brazil.
QUARTER-FINALS
4th July 2014
France vs Germany 0:1
He has been named French Player of the Year twice for his performances in 2011 and 2012. Benzema is a former French youth international and has represented his nation from under-17 level onwards.
Benzema has earned over 65 caps and represented France at three major international tournaments; the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
