the national side's goalkeepers coach, also worked briefly as interim manager after German Otto Pfister resigned in protest. The following month, as Paul Le Guen took the reins of the team, he was reset in his old post. Style of play N'Kono was a tall, strong, dynamic and athletic goalkeeper, who was known in particular for his speed, agility, reactions, positioning, and ability to produce spectacular and acrobatic saves. One of his most notable characteristics was his ability to come out and punch the ball away with power when crosses were delivered into the area; his unique, instinctive and aggressive style inspired Gianluigi Buffon as a youngster. A commanding presence in goal, N'Kono also stood out for his composure, confidence and leadership throughout his career. In addition to his goalkeeping abilities, he was also known for his moustache and for wearing long trackpants instead of shorts; furthermore, he also had a penchant for performing flamboyant and acrobatic celebrations during matches. Unlike compatriot Bell, he preferred to position himself in deeper areas, rather than rushing out to sweep up the ball. Legacy Buffon declared that he decided to play in the goalkeeping position after seeing N'Kono's performances at the 1990 World Cup. In addition, he named his first son Louis Thomas in the Cameroonian's honour. Honours Canon Yaoundé Elite One: 1974, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982 CAF Champions League: 1978, 1980 Espanyol UEFA Cup runner-up: 1987–88 Bolívar Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano: 1996, 1997 Cameroon Africa Cup of Nations: 1984; Runner-up 1986 Individual African Player of the Year: 1979, 1982 International Federation of Football History & Statistics All-time Africa Men's Dream Team: 2021 References External links Biography at CamLions 1956 births Living people People from Littoral Region (Cameroon) Cameroonian footballers Association football goalkeepers Canon Yaoundé players Tonnerre Yaoundé players La Liga players Segunda División players RCD Espanyol footballers CE Sabadell FC footballers CE L'Hospitalet players Bolivian Primera División players Club Bolívar players Cameroon international footballers 1982 FIFA World Cup players 1990 FIFA World Cup players 1994 FIFA World Cup players 1982 African Cup of Nations players 1984 African Cup of Nations players 1986 African Cup of Nations players 1990 African Cup of Nations players Africa Cup of Nations-winning players Cameroonian expatriate footballers Expatriate footballers in Spain Expatriate footballers in Bolivia Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Spain Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Bolivia African Footballer of the Year winners Cameroonian football managers Cameroon national football