1. Overview
Dany Achille Nounkeu Tchounkeu (born 11 April 1986) is a Cameroonian former professional footballer who primarily played as a centre-back. Standing at 72 in (183 cm), Nounkeu began his football journey at Collège Vogt Atletic in Yaoundé, Cameroon. His extensive professional career saw him play for numerous clubs across France, Turkey, Spain, and Djibouti, including notable spells with Toulouse FC, Galatasaray, and Akhisarspor. He also represented the Cameroon national team at both youth and senior levels, participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
2. Early Life and Background
Dany Nounkeu was born on 11 April 1986 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He originates from the Bamileke tribe, which is primarily located in the West Region of Cameroon.
2.1. Youth Career and Football Entry
Nounkeu started his football development at Collège Vogt Atletic in his hometown of Yaoundé. His early steps into organized youth football included joining the reserve team of French club FC Metz in July 2005.
3. Club Career
Nounkeu's professional club career spanned several countries and leagues, marked by transfers between various teams.
3.1. Career in France
Nounkeu began his professional career in French football, progressing from reserve teams to senior clubs.
3.1.1. FC Metz B and CSO Amnéville
After joining FC Metz in July 2005, Nounkeu primarily featured for their reserve team, FC Metz B, in the Championnat de France amateur, where he made 13 appearances. He subsequently moved to CSO Amnéville, playing in the same division, where he made 16 appearances and scored 3 goals.
3.1.2. Pau FC
In July 2008, Nounkeu transferred to Pau FC, another team in the same league. During the 2008-09 campaign, he appeared in either 24 or 28 matches for the club.
3.1.3. Toulouse FC
On 5 June 2009, Nounkeu signed a four-year contract with Ligue 1 club Toulouse FC. He made his professional debut on 12 September, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 away draw against AS Nancy Lorraine. In his first season with the club during the 2009-10 Ligue 1 season, Nounkeu featured in 17 matches, all as a starter, accumulating 1530 minutes of play, as Toulouse finished 14th in the league. The Japanese source indicates 18 appearances for this period.
3.1.4. Evian Thonon Gaillard (loan)
In 2015, Nounkeu had a loan spell with French club Evian Thonon Gaillard FC, where he made 14 appearances and scored 1 goal.
3.2. Career in Turkey
Nounkeu spent a significant portion of his career playing in the Turkish Süper Lig, featuring for several prominent clubs.
3.2.1. Gaziantepspor
On 1 September 2010, Nounkeu signed a three-year contract with Turkish Süper Lig club Gaziantepspor for an undisclosed fee. He made his debut for the club on 30 October, starting in a 0-0 home draw against Karabükspor. In the 2011-12 season, Nounkeu was a regular, appearing in 28 matches as his side finished 10th. Overall, he made 30 appearances for the club.
3.2.2. Galatasaray
On 8 June 2012, Nounkeu made a high-profile move to Galatasaray, agreeing to a four-year deal for a transfer fee of 3.30 M EUR. He made his debut on 22 September, starting in a 3-1 away victory against Beşiktaş.
During his time at Galatasaray, he made a total of 46 appearances.
3.2.3. Bursaspor
On 30 July 2015, Nounkeu reached an agreement to join Turkish club Bursaspor on a three-year contract. He made 15 appearances and scored 1 goal for the club.
3.2.4. Karabükspor
From 2016 to 2018, Nounkeu played for Karabükspor, where he made 42 appearances.
3.2.5. Akhisarspor
In 2018, Nounkeu joined Akhisarspor, making 13 appearances. On 10 May 2018, he contributed to Akhisarspor winning their first professional trophy, the 2017-18 Turkish Cup.
3.3. Career in Djibouti
Nounkeu later moved to the Djiboutian football scene.
3.3.1. Arta/Solar7
In December 2020, Nounkeu completed a permanent transfer to the Djiboutian side Arta/Solar7. At the club, he played alongside fellow Cameroonian footballer Alex Song.
4. International Career
Nounkeu represented his homeland, Cameroon, at various levels of international football.
4.1. Youth Career
Nounkeu was part of the Cameroon U-17 team that participated in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Finland. He made 11 appearances for the U-17 squad.
4.2. Senior Career
Nounkeu received his first call-up to the senior national squad in November 2004 under coach Winfried Schäfer. He participated in the LG Cup in 2011 in Morocco, where he notably scored a penalty kick against the host nation. After being part of Cameroon's squad during the qualification campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Nounkeu was included in the final roster for the tournament in Brazil. He played in two out of Cameroon's three group stage matches, including one start against Croatia. Between 2010 and 2014, Nounkeu accumulated 18 international A-match appearances for Cameroon.
5. Honours
Galatasaray
- Süper Lig: 2012-13
- Süper Kupa: 2012, 2013
Akhisarspor
- Turkish Cup: 2017-18
- Süper Kupa: 2018