Cyrille Thomas Makanaky (born 28 June 1965) is a Cameroonian retired
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who played as an
attacking midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
.
Club career
Makanaky was born in
Douala
Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region. Home to Central Africa's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Airport (DLA), it is the com ...
. After impressing at amateur level in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, with FC Saint-Leu and
Gazélec Ajaccio
Gazélec Football Club Ajaccio ( co, Gazélec Football Club Aiacciu), commonly referred to as GFC Ajaccio, GFCA, Gazélec Ajaccio or simply Gazélec (), is a French football club from Ajaccio, Corsica. Founded in 1960, Gazélec plays in the Champ ...
, he represented, with little impact but always in
Ligue 1,
SC Toulon (twice) and
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens (, commonly referred to as RC Lens or simply Lens) is a French professional football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, ''les sang et or'' (''the blood and gold''), co ...
.
In 1990, Makanaky moved to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
and remained in the country for three years, playing in
Segunda División for
CD Málaga and
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. ( ca-valencia, Vila-real Club de Futbol, S.A.D.), usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or simply Villarreal, is a professional football club based in Villarreal, in the Castellón province of eastern Spain, ...
.
His second year, whilst at the
Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The t ...
ns, finished in relegation, and the club folded soon afterwards.
Until his retirement at the age of 32, Makanaky also played in
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
with
Maccabi Tel Aviv FC
Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club ( he, מועדון כדורגל מכבי תל אביב; ''Moadon Kaduregel Maccabi Tel Aviv'') is an Israeli football club from Tel Aviv and part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Sport Club.
Founded in 1906 in Jaffa a ...
,
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
for
Barcelona Sporting Club
Barcelona Sporting Club () is an Ecuadorian sports club based in Guayaquil, known best for its professional football team. Internationally known as Barcelona de Ecuador, in Ecuador it is simply referred as Barcelona, El Idolo (BSC) or Barce. T ...
– two spells, winning the
national league
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
on both occasions – and France with former side Gazélec.
International career
Makanaky appeared in two
Africa Cup of Nations with the
Cameroon national team. In the
1988 edition, held in
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
, he scored the game's only goal, helping defeat
the hosts in the semifinals and eventually winning the trophy.
Makanaky also represented the nation at the
1990 FIFA World Cup in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, playing all five matches (two complete) as the ''Lions Indomptables'' reached the quarterfinals.
In popular culture
"Makanaki" is a nickname coined from Makanaky's name and was commonly used in some Yoruba speaking parts of western Nigeria after the exploits of the Cameroun National Team in the FIFA 1990 World Cup. The ruggedness and flamboyance of Makanaky led to the use of the Nigerianized version of the name to be used to refer to a skillful and rugged person.
External links
Racing Lens archives
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Makanaky, Cyrille
1965 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Douala
Cameroonian footballers
Association football midfielders
Ligue 1 players
Ligue 2 players
Gazélec Ajaccio players
SC Toulon players
RC Lens players
Segunda División players
CD Málaga footballers
Villarreal CF players
Israeli Premier League players
Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. players
Ecuadorian Serie A players
Barcelona S.C. footballers
Cameroon international footballers
1990 FIFA World Cup players
1988 African Cup of Nations players
1990 African Cup of Nations players
1992 African Cup of Nations players
Africa Cup of Nations-winning players
Cameroonian expatriate footballers
Expatriate footballers in France
Expatriate footballers in Spain
Expatriate footballers in Israel
Expatriate footballers in Ecuador
Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in France
Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Israel
Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Ecuador