Gaël Ondoua

1. Early life and background

Gaël Ondoua was born on November 4, 1995, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He spent his formative years in Russia, where his father was a diplomat. This upbringing allowed Ondoua to become fluent in the Russian and he subsequently acquired Russian citizenship. His dual nationality and deep connection to Russia would later become a subject of international discussion during his professional football career.

2. Club career

Ondoua began his professional football journey within the Russian system. In April 2014, he moved from the youth ranks of FC Lokomotiv Moscow to PFC CSKA Moscow. He made his professional debut for CSKA Moscow on September 24, 2014, in a Russian Cup match against FC Khimik Dzerzhinsk. In January 2015, Ondoua went on trial with FC Sakhalin Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Football National League.

At the end of December 2017, there were reports that Ondoua had signed with Ukrainian club FC Zorya Luhansk. However, in March 2018, Ondoua publicly stated that due to unforeseen circumstances beyond his contract, he would not be joining Zorya Luhansk. On July 27, 2018, he signed with Russian Premier League club FC Anzhi Makhachkala, where he would play for one season.

His career then took him to Switzerland. On July 2, 2019, Ondoua signed a two-year contract with Swiss club Servette FC, with an option for an additional year. After two seasons with Servette, he moved to Germany, joining Hannover 96 on August 26, 2021, on another two-year contract.

Ondoua returned to Servette FC for a second stint on July 21, 2023. Shortly after his return, on August 8, 2023, he faced an unforeseen challenge when he was denied a United Kingdom visa. This denial prevented him from traveling with Servette to play against Scottish club Rangers F.C. in a UEFA Champions League qualifying round match.

3. International career

Gaël Ondoua made his debut for the Cameroon national football team on March 25, 2022. His first international appearance was in a 1-0 loss to Algeria during a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match. He was subsequently selected as part of Cameroon's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, marking a significant milestone in his international career.

4. Honours

Servette FC

• Swiss Cup: 2023-24

5. Career statistics