Andre Andre Onana is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the English club Manchester United and the Cameroon national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, known for his reflexes, agility, and ball-playing skills. He has won several trophies and awards in his career, including the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup, the Best African Goalkeeper, and the Indomitable Lion of the Year. He has also represented Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations, where he helped his country finish third in 2021. In this article, we will explore Andre Onana’s biography, age, parents, family, net worth and wife 2023, and learn more about his life and career.
Onana’s Early Life and Education
Andre Onana was born on April 2, 1996, in Nkol Ngok, a village in the Centre Region of Cameroon. He is the son of Adele Onana and Francois Onana, who are both teachers. He has two brothers, Wariner and Emmanuel, who are also footballers. Andre Onana grew up in a football-loving family, and started playing the game at a young age. He joined the Samuel Eto’o Foundation, a football academy founded by the legendary Cameroonian striker, when he was 13 years old. He received his primary and secondary education at the academy, where he also developed his skills and talents as a goalkeeper.
Onana’s Career
Samuel Eto’o Foundation
Andre Onana spent four years at the Samuel Eto’o Foundation, where he impressed the coaches and scouts with his performances. He was part of the academy’s team that won the Copa del Rey Juvenil, a youth tournament in Spain, in 2010. He also participated in the Nike Premier Cup, a global youth tournament, in 2011. He caught the attention of Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in the world, who invited him for a trial in 2010. He impressed the Catalan club, who signed him in 2011, when he was 15 years old.
Barcelona
Andre Onana joined Barcelona’s youth system, La Masia, in 2011. He was initially assigned to the under-16 team, where he shared the goalkeeping duties with Alex Sola. He progressed through the ranks, and played for the under-17, under-19, and under-21 teams. He won several titles with the youth teams, including the UEFA Youth League, the Copa del Rey Juvenil, and the División de Honor. He also trained with the first team, and was mentored by the likes of Victor Valdes, Jose Manuel Pinto, and Claudio Bravo. However, he never made a senior appearance for Barcelona, as he faced stiff competition from the established goalkeepers.
Ajax
Andre Onana decided to leave Barcelona in 2015, in search of more playing time and opportunities. He joined Ajax, a Dutch club known for producing and developing young talents, on a three-year contract. He initially played for the reserve team, Jong Ajax, in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football. He made his debut for Jong Ajax on August 14, 2015, in a 2-0 win over FC Emmen. He made 39 appearances for Jong Ajax, and kept 13 clean sheets. He was promoted to the first team in 2016, after the departure of Jasper Cillessen to Barcelona. He made his debut for Ajax on August 20, 2016, in a 2-1 win over Willem II. He quickly established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper, and helped Ajax reach the final of the UEFA Europa League in 2017, where they lost to Manchester United. He also won the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup, and the Johan Cruyff Shield with Ajax, and became one of the most sought-after goalkeepers in Europe.
Manchester United
Andre Onana joined Manchester United, an English club and one of the most successful teams in the world, in July 2023, after spending only one season with Inter Milan. He signed a five-year contract with the Red Devils, who paid a fee of €35 million to Inter Milan. He made his debut for Manchester United on August 21, 2023, in a 4-0 win over Leeds United. He has since become a key player for the team, and has kept five clean sheets in 13 appearances. He has also helped Manchester United reach the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Cameroon National Team
Andre Onana made his debut for the Cameroon national team on October 9, 2016, in a 2-0 win over Algeria in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He has since become the regular goalkeeper for the Indomitable Lions, and has earned 34 caps. He was part of the squad that participated in the 2019 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, where he helped Cameroon finish second and third respectively. He is also expected to represent Cameroon at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they have been drawn in Group A with Germany, Ghana, and Saudi Arabia.
Onana’s Personal Life
Let’s take a look at the personal life of Andre Onana .
Onana’s Wife and Children
Andre Onana is married to Melanie Kamayou, a French-Cameroonian model and entrepreneur. The couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2021, after dating for several years. They have a son, Andre Onana Jr., who was born in 2022. The family lives in Manchester, England, where Onana plays for Manchester United.
Onana’s Parents and Siblings
Andre Onana is the son of Adele Onana and Francois Onana, who are both teachers. He has two brothers, Wariner and Emmanuel, who are also footballers. Wariner Onana is a midfielder who plays for FC Eindhoven in the Netherlands, while Emmanuel Onana is a defender who plays for FC Barcelona B in Spain.
Hobbies and Interests
Andre Onana is a multilingual person, who can speak five languages: Wolof, French, Dutch, German, and English. He learned Wolof from his grandmother, who is from Senegal, and French from his parents, who are from Cameroon. He learned Dutch, German, and English from his football career, as he played in the Netherlands, Germany, and England. He enjoys learning new languages, and plans to learn Italian and Spanish in the future. He is also interested in music, fashion, and travel. He likes to listen to various genres of music, such as hip hop, R&B, and Afrobeat. He likes to dress well, and has a collection of clothes and shoes. He likes to travel to different countries and cultures, and has visited places such as Spain, France, England, and the United States.
Doping ban
Andre Onana faced a major setback in his career in 2021, when he was banned for 12 months by UEFA for doping. He tested positive for Furosemide, a diuretic that is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency. He claimed that he accidentally took his wife’s medication, which contained the substance, instead of his own. He appealed against the ban, and managed to reduce it to nine months, after proving that he did not intend to cheat. He missed most of the 2021-22 season, and was unable to play for Ajax or Cameroon. He returned to action in November 2021, and joined Manchester United in July 2023.
Achievements and Awards
Club
- Eredivisie: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21 (Ajax)
- KNVB Cup: 2018–19, 2020–21 (Ajax)
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2019 (Ajax)
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2016–17 (Ajax)
Individual
- Best African Goalkeeper: 2018
- Indomitable Lion of the Year: 2018
- Eredivisie Goalkeeper of the Year: 2018–19
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2018–19
- IFFHS CAF Men’s Team of the Year: 2019, 2020
Onana’s Net Worth and Salary
Andre Onana is one of the highest-paid goalkeepers in the world, and has a net worth of $5 million as of 2023. He earns a salary of €5 million per year from Manchester United. He also earns money from endorsements and sponsorships, such as Nike, Pepsi, and Samsung.
Andre Onana Age
Andre Onana is 27 years old as of 2023. He was born on April 2, 1996, in Nkol Ngok, Cameroon.
Conclusion
We appreciate your time and interest in reading about the Cameronian’s life journey. And we have some other interesting biography of other players to read about, especially the likes of Son Heung-Min, Johan Bakayoko, and more.
