*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:27, 3 November 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:09, 14 October 2024 (UTC)
Onana joined Barcelona's youth system in 2010. He signed for Ajax in 2015, where he made 214 appearances and won three Eredivisie titles. Onana joined Inter Milan on a free transfer in July 2022, winning a Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana title in his sole season at the club, also reaching the Champions League final. Manchester United then signed Onana for an initial £43.8 million in 2023.
At international level, Onana has made more than 40 appearances for the Cameroon national team since making his debut in September 2016.
Club career
Youth career
Born in Nkol Ngok,[5] Onana joined Barcelona from the Samuel Eto'o Academy at the age of 14 in 2010.[6][7] Because he was under 18 and a non-EU citizen, Onana had to go on loan in the 2012–13 season to the youth team of Cornellà, before being loaned again the next season to the first-team of Vista Alegre.[8]
In early January 2015, it was announced that he would join Dutch club Ajax in July 2015.[9] The transfer was brought forward later that month.[10][11][12] He made his debut for Jong Ajax in the Eerste Divisie in February 2015.[13] He signed a new contract with Ajax in May 2017, running until 2021.[14] In March 2019 he signed a further new contract, until June 2022.[15] In November 2019, he said he was interested in playing in the Premier League in England.[16]
In February 2021, Onana was banned from playing for 12 months by UEFA after testing positive for Furosemide, a banned substance. Onana said he took his wife's medicine by mistake and Ajax joined him in appealing against the decision.[17] The ban was reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in June.[18]
In January 2022, he was linked with a transfer to Italian club Inter Milan.[19] In May 2022, he announced that he was leaving Ajax.[20] Onana spent seven and a half years with Ajax, making 214 appearances in all competitions during his stint.[21]
Inter Milan
On 1 July 2022, Inter Milan officially confirmed Onana's signing on a free transfer on a five-year contract.[21][22]
After discussions with the club through the month,[26] on 16 July 2023 it was reported that Onana had agreed personal terms with Premier League club Manchester United for a five-year contract.[27] Manchester United confirmed the transfer on 20 July, for an initial £43.8 million fee with Inter for the transfer of Onana, with a potential £3.4 million in add-ons, which saw Onana rejoin his former Ajax coach, Erik ten Hag.[28][29]
Onana made his competitive debut for the club in the Premier League opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 14 August. He kept a clean sheet as United won the game 1–0,[30] but was at the centre of controversy after referee Simon Hooper and VAR Michael Salisbury opted not to award a late penalty for a foul by Onana on Saša Kalajdžić.[31] On 20 September, following a 4–3 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League opening fixture, Onana said he had "let the team down" following mistakes during the match.[32] He was then described by journalist Guillem Balague as "not the perfect goalkeeper but good enough for Manchester United".[33] Ten Hag later said that Onana should be inspired by Manchester United's legendary goalkeepers Peter Schmeichel and David de Gea.[34]
On 24 October 2023, he saved a penalty in the 97th minute in a Champions League match which ended in a 1–0 victory against Copenhagen, leading to his club's first win in the competition that season.[35][36]
A month later, Onana was heavily criticised for his performance in a 3–3 Champions League draw against Galatasaray; he was directly blamed for Galatasaray's first two goals, which came from former Ajax teammate Hakim Ziyech free kicks. The BBC called it "a night of suffering for Onana", who "produced a horror show to undermine much of United's good work", while the Manchester Evening News declared he "carelessly conceded" the first Galatasaray goal, "catastrophically fumbled" the second and "too easily beaten" for the third.[37][38][39] He was defended by manager Erik ten Hag, who opined that Onana's stats showed him to be the second-best goalkeeper in the Premier League.[40]
At the end of his first season, he said it had taken six months for him to "feel good".[41]
International career
Onana is a former Cameroon youth international.[9] He was named in Cameroon's squad for a friendly against France in May 2016.[42]
Onana debuted for Cameroon in a 2–1 friendly win over Gabon in September 2016.[43] He featured in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations third-place game against Burkina Faso.[44] On 9 November 2022, he was named in the final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[45] He played the first match against Switzerland, before being dropped in the second against Serbia, then he was eventually sent home from the tournament on 28 November by manager Rigobert Song due to a disciplinary issue related to arguments about the latter's coaching tactics.[46][47] Onana announced his retirement from international football on 23 December 2022.[48]
Just over eight months later, on 29 August 2023, Onana was recalled into the Cameroon squad by Rigobert Song for an Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Burundi.[49] The goalkeeper formally confirmed his return to international football several days later, on 4 September, via a message posted on social media, stating that, "in the face of manipulation, lies and abuse of power", he had chosen to "stay loyal to my principle, representing with pride a country that deserves our sincere commitment."[50][51][52] Former player Patrick Suffo said that Onana's return did not mean there were still not problems at the national team.[53]
Style of play
Onana is a sweeper-keeper who has strong distribution skills.[54][55] He regularly comes out of his box to help build-up play and is known for his confidence on the ball and range of passing.[56] In Cameroon's opening 2022 World Cup game against Switzerland, Onana had more touches of the ball outside of the box (26) than any goalkeeper in a World Cup match since records began in 1966.[57] He was described as resembling a "holding midfielder at times" in UEFA's Technical Observers' report on the 2022–23 Champions League.[58]
In July 2023, he was described as "a modern keeper... with the technique of an outfield player".[59]
In May 2019, Onana spoke out about being a black goalkeeper, saying he had to work harder than his white counterparts due to misconceptions about black goalkeepers being more prone to making mistakes.[61]
