.jpg) Songo'o in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Jacques Celestin Songo'o | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1964-03-17)17 March 1964 (age 61) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sackbayeme, Cameroon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Goalkeeper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Cameroon (goalkeeper coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canon Yaoundé | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1989 | Canon Yaoundé | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1993 | Toulon | 22 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | →Le Mans (loan) | 22 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1996 | Metz | 101 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2001 | Deportivo La Coruña | 150 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Metz | 26 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Deportivo La Coruña | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 322 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–2002 | Cameroon | 98 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Cameroon (caretaker) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jacques Celestin Songo'o (born 17 March 1964) is a Cameroonian former professionalfootballgoalkeeper who is the current goalkeeping coach of theCameroon national team.
He spent the vast majority of his professional career in France and Spain, most notably withDeportivo de La Coruña, appearing in more than 200 official games over the course of six seasons and winning the1999–2000 La Liga.[1]
Songo'o represented the Cameroon national team at fourWorld Cups, being first-choice in1998.
Songo'o was born inSackbayeme, in theYaoundé suburbs. After first establishing himself as a professional in France, withLigue 1 clubFC Metz, he was votedBest African Goalkeeper in 1996, then arguably lived his most successful period at Spain'sDeportivo de La Coruña.
With theGalicians, Songo'o won the1996–97 edition of theRicardo Zamora Trophy (awarded to the best goalkeeper of the season), and was his side's undisputed starter in his first four years, which ended witha first-ever title inLa Liga.[1] WhenDepor boughtJosé Francisco Molina in 2000, he soon lost his place and was eventually transferred to old team Metz; on 13 February of that year, from acorner kick, he was supposed to have scored his first career goal, but it was wrongfully disallowed in a 1–0 away loss againstCD Numancia.[2]
After two seasons, Songo'o returned to Deportivo andA Coruña, again in afree transfer.[3][4] He settled there after having retired from football, aged 40.[5][6][7]
Songo'o featured forCameroon in everyFIFA World Cup from1990 to2002, although only as first-choice in1998. He was also a member of the squad thatcompeted at the1984 Summer Olympics inLos Angeles.
After retiring in 2004, Songo'o was hired as the national team's goalkeeper coach.[8] He left the position in 2006, returning four years later as a replacement forThomas N'Kono.[9]
In the2010 World Cup in South Africa, Songo'o was part ofPaul Le Guen's coaching staff. After the tournament, which ended in the group stage, he led Cameroon to a 3–0 victory overPoland on aninterim basis, the nation's first win in ten competitive games.[10][11][12]
Songo'o returned for a third spell in the same capacity in September 2019, now under newly hired managerToni Conceição.[13]
Songo'o also heldFrench citizenship. Both of his sons,Franck andYann, were also professional footballers.[14][15]
Canon
Metz
Deportivo
Cameroon
Individual
Cameroon squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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