Last update 30 April, 2020 por Alberto Llopis
Tommy N´Kono He was one of the first African goalkeepers to succeed in Europe. Place the veterans surely remember, younger wonder who is the protagonist of this article. This is possibly one of the best players in the history of Espanyol. During the decade of the 80 in the old Sarriá, it was rare not to see him defending the three sticks of the parakeets along with his characteristic outfit with the tracksuit and his mustache of the time in the purest style Eddy Murphy.
Tommy N`Kono, a Spanish legend
The year 1982 and in Spain, He was played in World. N´Kono, He came to the appointment as a goalkeeper from Cameroon where the goalkeeper was going to perform well in a team that at that time was exotic. I had almost 26 years and Spanish at that time, He was going to fix it. Your arrival at sarriá was going to mark an entire era. He played from 1982 a 1990, He won a record 426 minutes without conceding a goal and got to play the final of the UEFA against Leverkusen, of the comeback against the Catalan team. It coincided with Javier Clemente who was not very happy sometimes with his peculiar style stop.
Jugó 8 years and 241 parties in the ranks of the parakeets being so far, the second foreign player with most appearances for Espanyol, surpassed only by Pochettino. After his departure in 1990 He followed in the Catalan football and went on to defend the goal of Sabadell for three years and Hospitalet in 93/94. He ended his active career by Bolivia in the ranks of Bolivar.
With his selection as we have said he participated in the World Cup 82, He did not go to the 86 by not classifying Cameroon for the appointment of Mexico and the 34 casi 35, went to Italy World Cup 90 where Cameroon was going to make the best record in its history and where it was going to strike the bell thanks in part to the performance of another veteran of the time as Roger Milla. When it seemed that was all said, N´Kono, He was quoted for the World Cup USA 94 although almost like a symbol more than anything else.
The legend of the tracksuit long pants
Then he devoted himself to the functions of goalkeeping coach at Espanyol where as we have said, It is considered one of the best players ever. There was also an urban legend around the time similar to Makelele's that spoke about the real reason for the long tracksuit of Tommy N´Kono. But that, we'll leave it to the reader's imagination.
