.png) Geremi withNewcastle United in 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Geremi Sorele Njitap Fotso[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1978-12-20)20 December 1978 (age 46) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bafoussam, Cameroon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Right-back,midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Racing Bafoussam | 28 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Cerro Porteño | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Gençlerbirliği | 57 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2003 | Real Madrid | 45 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | →Middlesbrough (loan) | 33 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | Chelsea | 72 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Newcastle United | 49 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Ankaragücü | 12 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | AEL | 10 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 312 | (29) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2010 | Cameroon | 118 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Geremi Sorele Njitap Fotso (born 20 December 1978), known simply asGeremi, is a Cameroonian former professionalfootballer. He was a versatile player able to play atright-back,right midfield ordefensive midfielder, known for his power, pace, combative style andfree-kick ability.[3]
The most successful periods of Geremi's club career came atReal Madrid andChelsea, winning theUEFA Champions League with the first and domestic honours with the latter.
Geremi earned 118 caps forCameroon from 1996 to 2010, scoring 13 goals. He was a member of their squad for sevenAfrica Cup of Nations tournaments, winning in2000 and2002, as well as the World Cup in2002 and2010, and a gold medal at the2000 Olympics.
Geremi was born inBafoussam, Cameroon. Raised into a footballing family, Geremi was encouraged to remain focused on school by his father, a former player. But as duties for his club and national teams pulled him away from his studies, he eventually decided to pursue his playing career. Geremi gave up on studying for his university entrance exams and began playing professionally.
Geremi began his career with a local side in Bafoussam,Racing FC, in 1995. A first-division club in the Cameroon's MTN Elite One, Racing had won the league championship the year before 16-year-old Geremi arrived and won the league cup, the Cameroonian Cup, in his only season as a professional at the club.
In 1996, Geremi received an offer fromCerro Porteño, which he took,[4] after being scouted whilst playing for theCameroon U21 national team inBrazil.[5] Before Geremi arrived at Cerro Porteño, agentPedro Aldave picked betweenSamuel Eto'o and Geremi to go to Paraguay and join theAsunción club.[6] Geremi was 18 when he arrived at the club.[7]
In 1997, Geremi was teammates with compatriotCyrille Florent Bella, theUruguayanRicardo Bitancort,BrazilianFelippe Ximenes, andParaguayansDiego Gavilán,Jorge Martín Núñez,Paulo da Silva,Aldo Bobadilla andRoberto Fernández in Cerro Porteño's team.[citation needed] Geremi was the star of the title decider in Paraguay's 1997 Apertura Tournament, which Cerro Porteño lost.[8]
He only disputed one tournament with Cerro Porteño during six months at the club,[9] reportedly not adapting to Paraguayan football before emprending to travel to Turkey.[10] Six months was enough for him to jump to European football.[11] Geremi mentioned that in Paraguay he was too far from his family and wished to go toEuropean football. He received an offer from Turkey, and immediately signed.[12]
Geremi spent two seasons in Turkey withGençlerbirliği, racking up 57 appearances, before a move toReal Madrid materialised for him. In Geremi's first season at Gençlerbirligi in 1997/98, he was teammates with compatriotTobie Mimboe, who was also a footballer at Cerro Porteño before this.[citation needed]
In his three years at theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium, Geremi won two Champions League winners medals with the Spanish giants. He scored two goals whilst at Madrid; his first was a late winner in a2000 FIFA Club World Championship tie againstRaja Casablanca after his side had been reduced to eight men.[13] His second came againstBayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the2001–02 UEFA Champions League.[14] At Real Madrid, Geremi was nominated for theBallon d'Or of 2000. In a tribute to Geremi, four years after he left the club, former Real Madrid coachVicente del Bosque told Spanish newspaperMarca, that Njitap andSteve McManaman were the two most important players in his squad, because "together they kept the whole team united".[15]
Seeking more regular football, Geremi moved toMiddlesbrough for the2002–03 season on a season-long loan from Real Madrid, where he enjoyed a successful season.
In 2003, a sentence fromFIFA obliged Cerro Porteño to pay Geremi US$450,000.[16][17]
After an impressiveFIFA Confederations Cup campaign withCameroon,Chelsea paid Real Madrid £6.9 million for him in July 2003,[18] and he went on to have an excellent first season atStamford Bridge. Although towards the end of his career at Chelsea, underJosé Mourinho he was played less regularly and when he was played he was put in his unpreferred position of right-back. Geremi, however, was held in high regard by Mourinho. During an interview, he said about Geremi, "In my team I love to have Geremi on the bench because he's a low-profile player who is ready to help, ready to fight for the team, ready to do the job I want him to do. If I need him to play right-back, he can play right-back. If I need him to play right-winger, he can play right-winger. If I need him to pick up a man and mark him out of the game, he does it." In his final year at Chelsea, Geremi scored the winning goal in a home match againstWest Ham United, a long-range free-kick. This turned out to be his last goal in a Chelsea shirt. His final appearance for Chelsea came againstLiverpool in theChampions League semi-final second leg, which went to penalties.[19] Geremi came on as an extra-time substitute and went on to have his penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeperPepe Reina, and Chelsea ultimately lost.[20]
During his time at Chelsea, the club won thePremier League in both2004–05 and2005–06, and Geremi was eligible for a winners' medal both seasons as he made 13[21] and 15[22] appearances respectively.
Geremi signed forNewcastle United on 6 July 2007 on a three-year deal, making him the fourth signing of the summer by managerSam Allardyce.[23] He was appointed club captain for the 2007–08 season by then manager Allardyce, but lost the armband after new managerKevin Keegan awarded the captaincy toMichael Owen on 20 January 2008.[24]
Geremi made his Newcastle debut on the opening day of the2007–08 FA Premier League season in a 3–1 away win overBolton Wanderers, going on to start the next six games for Newcastle before being an unused substitute in theLeague Cup third round defeat atArsenal.
In January 2008, Geremi departed for the2008 African Cup of Nations with Cameroon. He returned to Newcastle in February after Cameroon finished as runners-up. His first game since returning was on 23 February in a 5–1 away defeat toManchester United. His first start since returning came on 17 March 2008 in a 1–1 draw away atBirmingham City.
Geremi scored his first goal for Newcastle in a 4–1 victory overTottenham Hotspur atWhite Hart Lane on 30 March with a well-taken free-kick[25] and the second a header in the 2–2 draw atUpton Park on 26 April against West Ham.[26] Geremi made 27 league appearances for Newcastle United during his first season at the club, starting 24 of the 27 league games and scoring on two occasions, with five assists.
Geremi made his first appearances of the2008–09 Premier League season appearing as a half time substitute in a 1–0 home win over Bolton on 23 August 2008. In September 2008, Newcastle found themselves under yet another new manager. As a result, Geremi's game time dropped over the course of the season, with the midfielder making 11 league starts without a goal and contributing only three assists. Newcastle was relegated at the end of the season, finishing one point from safety after losing their final game of the season againstAston Villa.
In the2009–10 season, Geremi's minutes dropped even more dramatically, with only three league starts in the first five months of the season. He scored his third Newcastle goal – and first of the2009–10 club season – in aLeague Cup match againstHuddersfield Town on 26 August 2009.[27] Geremi left Newcastle in the 2010 January transfer window to join Turkish clubMKE Ankaragücü. Shortly after, however, Newcastle said the deal had not been finalized and the player remained at Newcastle. On transfer deadline day, 1 February, Newcastle finally agreed to terms and Geremi went to Turkey on a new 18-month deal.
On 31 January 2010, Geremi's transfer to Ankaragücü of theSüper Lig was announced; he signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with the Turkish club.[28][29]
On 25 August 2010, Geremi moved toSuperleague Greece clubAEL on a two-year contract.[30] On 11 January 2011, it was announced on the official site of Larissa that the contract had been terminated.[31]
Geremi began his Cameroon international career with the youth teams, most notably in the1995 U-20 Youth World Cup finals. Geremi started all four games for the national team before they lost to Argentina in the quarterfinals.
Geremi's senior debut came not much later, appearing in a match againstGabon in October 1996. From there, the midfielder went on to feature in four of Cameroon's six qualifiers for the1998 FIFA World Cup, though he was left out of the finals squad after the nation qualified.
Geremi wonOlympic Gold with Cameroon inSydney in 2000 when he captained his country. He has also won twoAfrica Cup of Nations titles in2000 and2002 as they demonstrated their superiority not only inAfrica but at world level too.
Geremi was part of the Cameroon side that qualified for the2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan he also played in all three of Cameroon's World Cup final games in 2002 and scored a free-kick in a 2–2 friendly draw withEngland shortly before the tournament.
The squad failed to qualify for the2006 World Cup, finishing one point behind qualifiersIvory Coast in their table. Geremi started nine of the squad's ten games at holding midfielder, however, and scored twice during the campaign.
The2008 Africa Cup of Nations brought Cameroon's best finish since 2002, managing to reach the finals before losing 1–0 toEgypt. Geremi again played every one of Cameroon's games and was named to the Team of the Tournament for his performances.
Geremi earned his 100th cap for Cameroon on 11 February 2009, scoring a goal as part of a 3–1 friendly win againstGuinea inParis, a game in which he scored from a free-kick.
Geremi played in 112010 World Cup qualification matches Cameroon finished top of Group A in the third round of qualification, scoring one goal along the way.
In January 2010, Geremi and his teammates traveled to Angola for the2010 Cup of Nations, falling to eventual champions Egypt in a 3–1 extra time loss.
Geremi was part of the Cameroon squad that took part in the2010 World Cup in South Africa. He played in all three of Cameron's matches as they finished bottom of Group E.
Geremi's father, Samuel, is a former footballer who represented Cameroon in the 1970s. Samuel, a striker, was nicknamed "Poison Arrow" for his powerful and accurate finishing. He was allowed five wives due to his status as a footballer, which led to Geremi having 17 siblings.[32]
Geremi's cousin,Pierre Webó,[33] was also a professional footballer and played alongside Geremi for Cameroon at the 2010 World Cup.[34]
Geremi speaks English, Spanish and Turkish.[35]
In March 2024, Geremi filed for divorce after discovering his twin children were fathered by his wife's ex-partner.[36]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Racing Bafoussam | 1995 | Cameroonian Premier League | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 1996 | 23 | 5 | – | – | 23 | 5 | ||||||||
| Total | 28 | 5 | — | — | 28 | 5 | ||||||||
| Cerro Porteño | 1997 | Paraguayan Primera División | 6 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | |||
| Gençlerbirliği | 1997–98 | Süper Lig | 28 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | 31 | 5 | |||
| 1998–99 | 29 | 5 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | 32 | 6 | |||||
| Total | 57 | 9 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | 63 | 11 | |||||
| Real Madrid | 1999–2000 | La Liga | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 8[c] | 0 | 4[d] | 1 | 34 | 1 | |
| 2000–01 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 8[c] | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 26 | 0 | |||
| 2001–02 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 5[c] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |||
| Total | 45 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 76 | 2 | |||
| Middlesbrough (loan) | 2002–03 | Premier League | 33 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 34 | 7 | ||
| Chelsea | 2003–04 | Premier League | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10[c] | 0 | – | 39 | 1 | |
| 2004–05 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | – | 20 | 0 | |||
| 2005–06 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 22 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||
| Total | 72 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 109 | 4 | ||
| Newcastle United | 2007–08 | Premier League | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 17 | 0 | ||||
| 2009–10 | Championship | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 9 | 1 | |||
| Total | 49 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 54 | 3 | ||||
| Ankaragücü | 2009–10 | Süper Lig | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 12 | 2 | |||
| AEL | 2010–11 | Super League Greece | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 11 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 312 | 29 | 21 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 43 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 397 | 34 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameroon | 1996 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2006 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 10 | 1 | |
| Total | 118 | 13 |
Racing Bafoussam
Real Madrid
Chelsea
Newcastle United
Cameroon
Cameroon U-23
Individual
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