Nicolas Nkoulou
Cameroonian association football player
Cameroon
Full-back
Nicolas Nkoulou: profile
Nicolas Nkoulou (born 27 March 1990 in Yaoundé, Cameroon) is a retired Cameroonian footballer who played as a full-back.
Nkoulou started out at AS Monaco FC in 2008. He played for 9 clubs in 6 countries between 2008 and 2025. His most appearances came at Olympique de Marseille (2011–2016), where he made 162 appearances and scored 5 goals. Across all recorded club spells he totals 457 appearances and 14 goals.
At international level, Nkoulou represented Cameroon (2008–2023), earning 83 caps and scoring 2 goals. Our match database lists 1 of his international goals; the first came against Egypt on 5 February 2017 (Africa Cup of Nations). He also played for Cameroon at under-20 and under-23 level.
Yaoundé has produced 306 footballers in our database, including Samuel Umtiti, Roger Milla and Vincent Aboubakar.
Key facts
- Senior international debut
- 2008 (aged about 18)
- First international goal
- 2017 – aged 26 (match)
- Club career
- 2008–2025 (18 seasons)
- Countries played in
- 6: Monaco, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey
- Club goals per game
- 0.03 (14 in 457)
- Height
- 180 cm — taller than 44% of Cameroonian internationals on record
- Latest move
- Sakaryaspor (2025)
- Shares a birthday with
- Pedro Obiang, Djamel Belmadi and Georgios Koumantarakis (more)
Club career
| Years | Club | League | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2011 |  AS Monaco FC |
Ligue 1 | 78 | 0 |
| 2011–2016 |  Olympique de Marseille |
Ligue 1 | 162 | 5 |
| 2016–2018 | Olympique Lyonnais |
Ligue 1 | 13 | 0 |
| 2017–2018 |  Torino FC |
Serie A | 37 | 2 |
| 2018–2021 | Torino FC |
Serie A | 85 | 4 |
| 2021–2022 |  Watford F.C. |
EFL Championship | 3 | 0 |
| 2022–2023 |  Aris Thessaloniki F.C. |
Super League Greece | 17 | 1 |
| 2023–2024 |  Gaziantep F.K. |
Süper Lig | 32 | 2 |
| 2024–2025 | Amed S.F.K. |
TFF First League | 15 | 0 |
| 2025 | Sakaryaspor |
TFF First League | 15 | 0 |
| Total | 457 | 14 |
Appearances and goals are league figures where recorded on Wikidata; “–” means not recorded.
International career
| Years | Team | Level | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Cameroon U20 |
Under-20 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 | Cameroon U23 |
Under-23 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008–2023 | Cameroon |
Senior | 83 | 2 |
International goals (1)
| # | Date | Match | Min | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 Feb 2017 | Egypt 1–2 Cameroon | 59 | Africa Cup of Nations |
*Goals listed are those present in our match-by-match goal database, which is most complete for tournament matches.
Frequently asked questions
How old is Nicolas Nkoulou?
Nicolas Nkoulou was born on 27 March 1990, which makes him 36 years old.
Where was Nicolas Nkoulou born?
Nicolas Nkoulou was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Which national team does Nicolas Nkoulou play for?
Nicolas Nkoulou played international football for Cameroon. He has 83 caps and 2 goals on record.
Which clubs has Nicolas Nkoulou played for?
Nicolas Nkoulou's recorded clubs are AS Monaco FC, Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais, Torino FC, Watford F.C., Aris Thessaloniki F.C., Gaziantep F.K., Amed S.F.K. and Sakaryaspor.
How tall is Nicolas Nkoulou?
Nicolas Nkoulou is 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) tall.
What position does Nicolas Nkoulou play?
Nicolas Nkoulou played as a full-back.
Cameroonian players of the same generation
Éric Maxim Choupo-MotingCameroon · Red Bull New York
Vincent AboubakarCameroon · Bodrum FK
Alex SongCameroon · b. 1987
Joël MatipCameroon · b. 1991
Karl Toko EkambiCameroon · b. 1992
O
Olivier BoumalCameroon · b. 1989
Clinton NjieCameroon · b. 1993
Allan NyomCameroon · Getafe CF
Benjamin MoukandjoCameroon · Valenciennes F.C.
Gaëtan BongCameroon · b. 1988
Ambroise OyongoCameroon · b. 1991
Georges MandjeckCameroon · Sportkring Beveren