Squad No: 1
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 26
Birth Date: Feb 18, 1984
Birth Place: Douala, Cameroon
Height: 6' 1" (1.86m)
Weight: 190 lbs (86 kg)
Club: Espanyol (Spain)
International Caps: 55
Club History
Espanyol (ESP): 2004-
Le Havre (FRA): 2003-2004
Saint-Etienne (FRA): 2003-2003
Le Havre (FRA): 2000-2003
from Wikipedia (full wiki)
A senior international since the age of 17, Kameni was part of the national team squads at the 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 African Cup of Nations, starting in all but in the first; in addition, he also represented the nation at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, also as first-choice (at only 19), for the eventual runners-up.
In 2002, aged 18, Kameni was picked for Cameroon's squad of 23 at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He was named Best African Goalkeeper for 2006–07, after being runner-up in the previous season.
from ESPN SoccerNet
An ever-present between the posts in the 2010 qualifying programme, he was the teenage hero of Cameroon's gold-medal-winning side at the 2000 Olympics, saving a penalty in the final against Spain. Indeed, he proudly holds the record for being the youngest-ever football gold medallist at the Games
He was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons early in 2009, almost coming to blows with an Espanyol fan at the club's training ground. "I'm a professional, so respect my work and respect me," Kameni yelled at a supporter who had advised him not to renew his contract.
Kameni's older brother Mathurin is also a professional footballer and a 'keeper. He plays for Egyptian side Haras El Hodood and has kept goal for Cameroon, but it will be the younger of the Kameni boys given the gloves for the Lions in South Africa and mistakes will not be tolerated.
from FIFA.com
Carlos Idriss Kameni can already be considered a veteran of the Cameroon national team, even at the tender age of 26.
Espanyol’s current No1 took part in the 1999 edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Nigeria when he was only 15, and notably won gold in the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Sydney the following year. He has been part of the national team set-up for nine years, and in 2003 at the age of 20 succeeded the legendary Jacques Songo’o.
That said, this imposing cat-like figure (1.86m tall and weighing 86kg) will make his FIFA World Cup™ debut at South Africa 2010. He was part of the squad for Korea/Japan 2002 but spent the whole tournament as an unused substitute.
Kameni is both frustrated by so many years in the finals’ wilderness and excited at the prospect of entering Cameroon’s football hall of fame. "I don’t know if an African country will be world champions, but it will of course be an advantage for us to see our fans in the stadiums," he told us back in 2007. "If I were in one of the established teams, I would be wary."
Ever since this fan of hip-hop made his debut for the famous Douala sports academy team Kadji Sport Academies, he has frustrated many of the world’s best strikers. Kameni has stunning reflexes and a natural command of the penalty area, and was voted best African goalkeeper for the 2006/07 season.
By this time he had been in outstanding form in goal for Espanyol for two seasons. His idol Thomas N’Kono was goalkeeping coach at the club, and was perfectly placed to help Kameni develop both on and off the pitch. Since his first season he has stood out as a penalty expert, coming out on top against players such as Ronaldo, Fernando Torres and Julio Baptista.
Having only played three matches in four seasons at Le Havre, this converted striker from the working-class Biyem-Assi area of Yaounde can be commended for never turning his back on the game. He has since made up for this with more than 170 appearances in an Espanyol shirt, and a strong showing at South Africa 2010 could even lead to a move to one of the world’s bigger clubs.
Known as ‘Caka’ (the first two letters of his first and last names) to his international team-mates, he was a CAF Africa Cup of Nations winner in 2002, runner-up in 2008 and quarter-finalist in 2004, 2006 and 2010. At club level he can also point to a Copa del Rey winner’s medal from 2006, and was a losing finalist in the 2007 UEFA Cup.
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