Pierre Womé

Pierre Womé

Womé with Werder Bremen in 2006
Personal information
Full namePierre Nlend Womé
Date of birth26 March 1979
Place of birthDouala, Cameroon
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 12 in)
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Canon Yaoundé
Youth career
1993–1994Fogape
1994–1996Canon Yaoundé
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1996–1997Vicenza3(0)
1997–1998Lucchese24(2)
1998–1999Roma8(0)
1999–2002Bologna47(3)
2002–2003Fulham14(1)
2003–2004Espanyol23(1)
2005Brescia16(3)
2005–2006Internazionale13(0)
2006–2008Werder Bremen28(2)
2008–20101. FC Köln30(0)
2011–2012Sapins17(0)
2012–Canon Yaoundé25(5)
National team
2000Cameroon Olympic
1998–Cameroon69(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 May 2010.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 September 2009 (UTC)

Pierre Nlend Womé (born 26 March 1979 in Douala) is a Cameroonian football defender who currently plays for Canon Yaoundé. A journeyman, Womé is a versatile and skillful left wingback who has played for 11 clubs in five countries, being one of eight players to have played in the top division in Italy, Spain, England and Germany (the others are Jon Dahl Tomasson, Abel Xavier, Gheorghe Popescu, Florin Răducioiu, Pepe Reina, Christian Poulsen and Maniche).

Career

After spending his youth career in a small club Fogape Yaoundé and a relatively eminent regional side Canon Yaoundé, Womé moved to Italy from Cameroon in summer 1996 for his professional career. He began his senior career at Vicenza Calcio and spent almost 7 years playing in Italy until moving to English Premier League side Fulham FC in August 2002.[1] He was sold to Bologna F.C. 1909 in co-ownership deal for 6 billion lire in 1999,[2] which Roma acquired him for 2 billion lire only. Co-currently, Francesco Antonioli, Amedeo Mangone and Alessandro Rinaldi joined Roma for 10 billion lire, 13 billion lire and 6 billion lire respectively. In June 2000 Bologna acquired Womé outright for a peppercorn fee of 1 million lire. During his time in England at Fulham, Womé scored once in the league, a 3–0 win over West Brom in February 2003.[3]

After playing for some notable clubs, including RCD Espanyol, FC Internazionale Milano and SV Werder Bremen, Womé joined 1. FC Köln in summer 2008[4] and left the team on 30 June 2010.

In the late February 2012, it was announced that Womé would join Coton Sport FC de Garoua in his homeland.[5]

International career

Womé was a regular at left back for Cameroon during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was a key member of the squads that won consecutive African Cup of Nations titles in 2000 and 2002 and the Olympic gold medal in 2000. All three tournaments were won on penalty shoot-outs, and Womé was a taker in all three victories. In the Olympic gold medal match, Womé scored the fifth and decisive penalty to win the title for his country. He also scored from the spot in the 2000 African Cup of Nations final, but his penalty in the following tournament was saved by Senegal's Tony Sylva. Womé also played as Cameroon's first choice left back in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

On 8 October 2005, Womé missed a 95th-minute penalty during Cameroon's final World Cup qualifier against Egypt that would have sent the Indomitable Lions to the 2006 FIFA World Cup; unfortunately for Womé he cannoned the shot off the outside of the post and Côte d'Ivoire qualified at their expense.

During a press conference several days afterward, Womé said about the penalty: “No one wanted to take that penalty. No one. Neither Samuel Eto'o nor our captain Rigobert Song, because they knew what could have happened if they missed. I have always had the courage and I went to the spot.” He also claimed that some Cameroon fans wanted to kill him.[6]

On 19 March 2007, Womé announced his retirement from international football.[7] He later returned to the team in 2009 for a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Morocco.[8]

References

  1. "Fulham snap up Wome". BBC. 7 August 2002. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  2. "BILANCIO D’ESERCIZIO E CONSOLIDATO DI GRUPPO AL 30 GIUGNO 2000" (PDF). AS Roma (in Italian). Borsa Italiana Archive. 28 June 2001. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  3. "Fulham overpower Baggies". BBC. 19 February 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  4. Chris Ives (29 May 2008). "Wome seals Cologne move". Sky Sports. Retrieved 29 May 2008.
  5. "Wome calls Coton Sport home". soccerway.com. 24 February 2012.
  6. "Wome reveals fears for his life". BBC News. 11 October 2005.
  7. "Wome quits Cameroon". BBC Sport. 19 March 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2008.
  8. "Wome Nlend, the return of the fallen Lion". mtnfootball.co. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 21 June 2013.

External links