Idriss Carlos Kameni

Infobox Football biography
playername = Carlos Kameni


fullname = Carlos Idriss Kameni
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|02|18|df=y
cityofbirth = Douala
countryofbirth = Cameroon
height = height|metres=1.88
position = Goalkeeper
currentclub = RCD Espanyol
clubnumber = 1
youthyears =
youthclubs = Kadji Sports Academy
years = 2000–2004
2002–2003
2004–
clubs = Le Havre AC
→ AS Saint-Étienne (loan)
RCD Espanyol
caps(goals) = 003 0(0)
000 0(0)
122 0(0)
nationalyears = 2001–
nationalteam = Cameroon
nationalcaps(goals) = 052 0(0)
pcupdate = 22:26, 30 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 11:02, 3 August 2008 (UTC)

Carlos Idriss Kameni (born February 18, 1984 in Douala) is a Cameroonian football goalkeeper who currently plays for RCD Espanyol in La Liga. He is the brother of Mathurin Kameni longtime former Second Nationalkeeper.

Career

Kameni was spotted when, aged 16, he became the youngest footballer to win an Olympic gold medal, in 2000. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/team_pages/cameroon/squad/newsid_1935000/1935330.stm|title= Squad Profiles, Cameroon: Idriss Kameni|date=May 20 2002|publisher=BBC Sport] This earned him a move to French club Le Havre AC but he was unable to break into the first team, and remained a reserve throughout his four year stay.

The goalkeeper spent a season on loan at AS Saint-Etienne but failed to gain any playing time. He almost moved to Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season long loan for 2003/04, but the deal collapsed after he was not granted a UK work permit. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/3170449.stm|title= Wolves wait on Kameni verdict|date=August 21 2003|publisher=BBC Sport]

He finally left France for Spanish side RCD Espanyol in July 2004 for $600,000 [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3934069.stm|title= Espanyol sign Kameni|date=July 28 2004|publisher=BBC Sport] and has become their first choice goalkeeper. He won the 2006 Copa del Rey with the club [ [http://www.rcdespanyol.com/ingles/index.php?modulo=jugador&jugador=4&Amenu=jugador| RCD Espanyol Official Website - Kameni] ] .

Kameni was part of the Cameroon team at the 2004 African Nations Cup. He won the award for the best African Goalkeeper for 2006-07 [cite news|url=http://www.postnewsline.com/2008/01/mtn-can-2008who.html |title=Who is Who in the Lions Den|date=January 7 2008|publisher=The Post Online] . He was the runner-up in the 2005-06 season.

Honours

Individual

* Best African Goalkeeper: 2006-07

Club

RCD Espanyol
*Copa del Rey: 2006

Country

* 2000 Summer Olympics Gold Medal in Sydney
* 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali

External links

*soccerbase|id=22853|name=Carlos Kameni
*FIFA player|178598|Idriss Carlos Kameni
*en icon [http://spanishfootball.typepad.com/la_liga_review/2008/03/tottenham-targe.html/ La Liga Review]

References