Joël Dieudonné Martin Epalle Newaka (born 20 February 1978) is a Cameroonian
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
manager and former player who manages Val d'Europe FC.
He mainly played as a
right 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 ...
, but throughout his career he also played as a
second striker
Forwards (also known as attackers) are outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals as well as assisting them. As with any attacking player, the role ...
, more noticeably during his first spell at
Iraklis. He was born in
Matomb, Cameroon and played youth football in Cameroonian club
Union Douala
Union Sportive de Douala is a Cameroonian professional football club based in Douala, that competes in the Elite One.
History
It was founded in 1958 and played its home matches in the Stade de la Réunification.
Achievements
National
* Cameroo ...
, the team for which he made his senior debut. After his spell in Cameroon, in 1998, he moved to Greece where he played football for several clubs including
Ethnikos,
Panachaiki
Panachaiki G.E. (Greek: Παναχαϊκή Γυμναστική Ένωση, ''Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi'', "Pan- Achaean Gymnastic Union") is a Greek multi-sport club based in the city of Patras, Greece.
The history of Panachaiki began in 1891, ...
,
Aris Aris or ARIS may refer to:
People
* Aris (surname)
Given name
* Aris Alexandrou, Greek writer
* Aris Brimanis, ice hockey player
* Aris Christofellis, Greek male soprano
* Aris Gavelas, Greek sprinter
* Aris Howard, Former President of the Jama ...
,
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
and Iraklis in a time span of nine and a half years. Subsequently, in January 2007, he moved to
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...
outfit
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has spent 35 seas ...
where he played for three and a half years. After a brief stay at
Azerbaijani club
FK Baku
FC Baku ( az, "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that has been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and earning the Na ...
, in January 2011 he returned to Greece to have a second spell at Iraklis. Epalle was
Iraklis' top-scorer for the
2005–06 season. Started at the end of March 2012, he made his first appearance and play for
Sarawak FA
Sarawak FA State Football Team ( ms, Pasukan Bola Sepak Negeri Sarawak) was a defunct football team which represented the Malaysian region (formerly state) of Sarawak from 1974 to 2020 in the Malaysian football league. It was one of the 14 Mal ...
alongside his fellow Cameroon friend,
Guy Bwele.
Epalle won 31 caps for
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
. He was a member of the
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
side that won the gold medal in the
2000 Summer Olympics football tournament. Epalle was also a member of the
Cameroon squad that won the
2002 African Cup of Nations
The 2002 African Cup of Nations was the 23rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the association football championship of Africa (Confederation of African Football, CAF). It was hosted by Mali. Just like in 2000 African Cup of Nations, 2000, th ...
.
Club career
Early career
He began his career in his local team called
Union Douala
Union Sportive de Douala is a Cameroonian professional football club based in Douala, that competes in the Elite One.
History
It was founded in 1958 and played its home matches in the Stade de la Réunification.
Achievements
National
* Cameroo ...
.
Ethnikos
Epalle signed for
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
club
Ethnikos in December 1997.
Until the end of the season Epalle played in 16 matches for the club of
Piraeus
Piraeus ( ; el, Πειραιάς ; grc, Πειραιεύς ) is a port city within the Athens urban area ("Greater Athens"), in the Attica region of Greece. It is located southwest of Athens' city centre, along the east coast of the Saronic ...
.
In his second season for the club, Epalle continued appearing regularly, totalling 23 matches, not managing to help his club avoid relegation. In the
Beta Ethniki
The Football League ( el, Φούτμπολ Λιγκ) was the second highest professional football league in Greece since its inception in 1962 as ''Beta Ethniki'' and until 2019. It then served as a third tier after the creation of the Super Lea ...
Epalle managed to score his first goal for
Ethnikos, in a match against
Apollon Kalamarias
Apollon Kalamarias (Greek: Απόλλων Καλαμαριάς) is a Greek sport's club from Thessaloniki founded in 1926. The club is named after Apollo, the mythical Greek god and its colors are red and black.
History
When thousands of Pontic ...
.
He managed to score two more,
before leaving the club during the winter transfer window for
Panachaiki
Panachaiki G.E. (Greek: Παναχαϊκή Γυμναστική Ένωση, ''Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi'', "Pan- Achaean Gymnastic Union") is a Greek multi-sport club based in the city of Patras, Greece.
The history of Panachaiki began in 1891, ...
.
Panachaiki
During the winter transfer window of the
1999-00 season Epalle signed for
Panachaiki
Panachaiki G.E. (Greek: Παναχαϊκή Γυμναστική Ένωση, ''Panachaiki Gymnastiki Enosi'', "Pan- Achaean Gymnastic Union") is a Greek multi-sport club based in the city of Patras, Greece.
The history of Panachaiki began in 1891, ...
.
He signed a two-year contract on a free transfer, on 26 January 2000, after gaining his freedom from Ethnikos, due to the club's debt to him. Epalle debuted for Panachaiki on 29 January 2000, in a 0–2 home win against
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
. In his first season in
Patras
)
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, demographics1_title2 =
, demographics1_info2 =
, timezone1 = EET
, utc_offset1 = +2
, ...
Epalle featured in 15 league matches and scored two goals.
Epalle played for Panachaiki for almost two years and totalled three goals out of 44 appearances.
Aris
Epalle left them for
Aris Saloniki.
Panathinaikos
After being released from Aris, Epalle signed a four-year contract for Greek club
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
in July 2003, stating his ambition to win trophies for Panathinaikos. Epalle made his debut for Panathinaikos in the first round of the
2003–04 season, as he was in the starting lineup in Panathinaikos' 1–0 home win against
Skoda Xanthi
Xanthi Football Club ( el, Α.Ο. Ξάνθη Π.Α.Ε.) is a Greek professional football club based in Xanthi, Western Thrace and plays at Xanthi FC Arena. The club resigned from the Super League 2 due to financial issues.
Founded in 1967, Xan ...
. He scored his first goal for Panathinaikos in a 6–3 home win against
Panionios
Panionios G.S.S. Football Club (Greek: ΠΑΕ Πανιώνιος Γ.Σ.Σ.), the ''Pan- Ionian Gymnastics Club of Smyrna'' (Πανιώνιος Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Σμύρνης, ''Panionios Gymnastikos Syllogos Smyrnis'') ...
for the fifteenth round of the
2003–04 season. Until the end of the season Epalle appeared in 15 league matches scoring one goal. He also played his first match in a
European competition The European Competition is a student competition in which students of all ages submit creative, artistic, or written pieces of work on the activities of the European Union. Tendered by European Movement Germany, it is the oldest student competition ...
as he came in at halftime of a 5–0 away defeat against
Manchester United
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
. In the
next season Epalle did not get any chances in the league, and he only appeared in two
Champions League matches. On 7 January 2005, Epalle was released by
Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos Athlitikos Omilos ( el, Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος, literally in English: "Panathenaic Athletic Club" or Panathinaikos A.C.), also known simply as Panathinaikós , is a major Greek multi-sport club ba ...
, to empty a foreign player's spot, so the club would be able to sign Brazilian defensive
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 ...
Anderson de Lima Freitas.
Iraklis
Briefly after his release
Iraklis decided to sign him.
VfL Bochum
In January 2007, Epalle signed a three and a half years contract with
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has spent 35 seas ...
. The transfer fee was 600,000 €. Epalle debuted for
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has spent 35 seas ...
in a home match against
Mainz
Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
. He played in the whole match but
Mainz
Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
managed to win the match by 0–1 in a close encounter. In the next match Epalle was once again a starter and he helped
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has spent 35 seas ...
to get an away 0–0 draw from German giants
FC Bayern. Epalle's first major contribution to the team came in a match against
Arminia Bielefeld
DSC Arminia Bielefeld (; full name: ; commonly known as Arminia Bielefeld (), also known as ''Die Arminen'' or ''Die Blauen'' ), or just Arminia (), is a German sports club from Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Arminia offers the sports of ...
. He dribbled in the centre of the field before passing the ball towards
Gekas to help him score the second goal of their team in what was meant to be a 1–3 away win for
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has spent 35 seas ...
. In the match Epalle scored his first goal for
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has spent 35 seas ...
. A corner was taken by his teammate
Misimović an
Alemannia Aachen
Alemannia Aachen () or ATSV Alemannia 1900 is a football in Germany, German football club from the western city of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia. A long term fixture of the country's 2. Bundesliga, second division, ''Alemannia'' enjoyed a three- ...
defender poorly cleared the ball and Epalle took advantage of the loose ball to score his team's second goal, in a match that finished 2–2. Epalle continued showing his scoring abilities, as he send the ball to settle in the net of
Hannover 96
Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 (), Hannover, HSV or simply 96, is a German professional football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony. They played in the Bundesliga for a total of 30 years betwe ...
, during a count-attack of his team, to make the score 2–0, that was also the final score of the match. He also proved himself to be highly effective in front of the goal in an away match against
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt e.V. () is a professional sports club based in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. It is best known for its football club, which was founded on 8 March 1899. The team is currently playing in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the Germa ...
by scoring twice. His first goal was a powerful effort from just outside the area in the 58th minute of the match and second was scored in the 69th minute after an assist by
Gekas. In his first season for
VfL Bochum
Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft, commonly referred to as simply VfL Bochum (), is a Football in Germany, German association football club based in the city of Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club has spent 35 seas ...
Epalle played in all of 17
VfL's Bundesliga
The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...
matches for the second round of the
2006–07 club's campaign (all as a starter), scored four goals and handed three assists to his teammates.
In the opening stages of the
2008–09 season Epalle was forced to miss several matches due to a toe injury. He was able to make his come back, in a 0–0 home draw against
Werder Bremen
Sportverein Werder Bremen von 1899 e. V. (), commonly known as Werder Bremen (), Werder or simply Bremen, is a German professional sports club based in Bremen, Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Founded on 4 February 1899, they are be ...
, after replacing the injured
Christian Fuchs
Christian Fuchs (; born 7 April 1986) is an Austrian former professional footballer who played as a left back.
He began his senior career as a teenager at Wiener Neustadt before signing his first professional contract at 17 with SV Mattersburg ...
in the 42nd minute.
On 11 June 2010,
Bochum
Bochum ( , also , ; wep, Baukem) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 364,920 (2016), is the sixth largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) of the most populous Germany, German federal state o ...
announced that the contract of Epalle would not be extended beyond its original expiry date on 30 June 2010.
During his spell at
Bochum
Bochum ( , also , ; wep, Baukem) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia. With a population of 364,920 (2016), is the sixth largest city (after Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg) of the most populous Germany, German federal state o ...
he became a firm favorite amongst his teammates and the club's fans due to his hard-working style of play and the trademark back-flip celebration of his goals.
FK Baku
In the summer of 2010, Epalle signed a contract with
Azerbaijan Premier League
The Azerbaijan Premier League ( az, Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası) is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Azerbaijan football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is conteste ...
outfit
FK Baku
FC Baku ( az, "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that has been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and earning the Na ...
, to meet again with
Winfried Schäfer
Winfried "Winnie" Schäfer (born 10 January 1950) is a German football manager and former player who last managed of Qatari club Al-Khor.
Playing career
Winfried Schäfer played 403 Bundesliga matches and scored 46 goals in the (West) German top ...
, his former manager for
the Indomitable Lions. His first game for
FK Baku
FC Baku ( az, "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that has been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and earning the Na ...
was on 15 July, for the Second Qualifying Round of
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. It ...
, against
Budućnost of
Montenegro
)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Podgorica
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages = M ...
. Epalle was suspended for that match, as he was sent off in an
Iraklis' match four years ago against
Wisła Kraków
Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisła Kraków Spółka Akcyjna, commonly referred to as Wisła Kraków (), is a Polish professional football club based in Kraków. It currently competes in the I liga, the second level of Polish football league system. It ...
, and due to this
Budućnost gained a 3–0 default win, in a match they had originally lost 2–1.
Epalle was handed a further two-match suspension.
He made his league debut for his new club on 22 August in a 2–1 home win against
Gabala.
He was substituted in the 83rd minute of the match for
Ibrahim Kargbo
Ibrahim Obreh Kargbo (born 10 April 1982) is a Sierra Leonean former soccer, football player. He ended his career with a suspension over match-fixing.
Career
Former teams are Old Edwardians F.C., Feyenoord Rotterdam, RWD Molenbeek, Sporting ...
. The next match he featured, was a 1–1 home draw against
Ganja
Ganja (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana. Its usage in English dates to before 1689.
Etymology
''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu ( hi, गांजा, links=no, ur, , links=no, IPA: aːɲd ...
on 12 September.
In November his agent stated that Epalle was not happy with the lifestyle of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
and with the situation in Azerbaijani football.
The main reasons for that reaction was the low attendance of
Azerbaijani Premier League and the fact that he could do nothing besides training and staying in his hotel room.
His agent also declared Epalle's desire to return in the
Greek Superleague
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
for
Iraklis.
He played again on 13 November
coming in as a substitute for
Aleksandar Šolić
Aleksandar Šolić (born 29 January 1983 in Rijeka) is a Croatian retired football player who last played for NK Opatija.
Career
International
He received a call-up from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), ab ...
in the 78th minute, in a match that
FK Baku
FC Baku ( az, "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that has been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and earning the Na ...
won 2–0. In the next match against
MOIK Baku
MOIK Baku is an Azerbaijani football club, based in Baku. MOIK was originally built around the same concept of military sports club as CSKA Moscow, CSKA Sofia.
History
The club was established under name OIK ( az, Ordu İdman Klubu; en, Sports ...
he came in as an 84th-minute substitute, and he managed to score a goal in the 88th minute, his first and only goal for
FK Baku
FC Baku ( az, "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that has been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and earning the Na ...
. In his short spell for
FK Baku
FC Baku ( az, "Bakı" Futbol Klubu) is an Azerbaijani football club based in Baku that has been an amateur club since 2016. Prior to that, Baku played 18 seasons in the Azerbaijan Premier League, winning the championship twice and earning the Na ...
Epalle totally played in ten matches and scored one goal.
Iraklis
On 18 January 2011, Epalle signed a two and a half-year contract with
Iraklis. He made his first appearance, in his second spell for the club, in a 0–0 home draw against
Kerkyra
Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
, as he came in, to replace
Javier Robles, in the 55th minute of the match.
Sarawak FA
On 2 April 2012, Epalle officially signed with
Sarawak FA
Sarawak FA State Football Team ( ms, Pasukan Bola Sepak Negeri Sarawak) was a defunct football team which represented the Malaysian region (formerly state) of Sarawak from 1974 to 2020 in the Malaysian football league. It was one of the 14 Mal ...
. On 24 March 2012, he made his first appearance with Sarawak FA against
Malaysia national football team
The Malaysia national football team () represents Malaysia in international football and is controlled by the Football Association of Malaysia. The national team is recognised by FIFA as the successor of the defunct Malaya national football ...
in a friendly match at State Stadium, Kuching. The match ended with draw 1–1. Epalle scored the equalizer. His official league debut, in the game against
Kelantan FA
Kelantan Football Club ( ms, Kelab Bola Sepak Kelantan) is a Malaysian professional football club based in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The club plays in the Malaysia Super League, the top tier of Malaysian football since 2023.
Founded in 1946, the ...
on 7 April 2012, saw Epalle fouled and he received a free-kick in the 18th minute which led to a goal by
Guy Bwele in the 1–1 draw. His first goal for Sarawak was scored against
Kuala Lumpur FA
Kuala Lumpur City Football Club, known simply as KL City FC, is a Malaysian professional football club based in Kuala Lumpur. The club competes in the Malaysia Super League, the top level of Malaysian football, and was founded in 1974 as Feder ...
, an equaliser in a 1–1 draw on 4 May 2012.
International career
Epalle was capped with
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
and was a participant at the
2000 Olympic Games
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...
and at the
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Korea Japan 2002, was the 17th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial Association football, football world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams organized by ...
. So far, he gained 31 caps with
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
and scored two goals. His first ever cap for
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
was on 26 November 1995, in a match against
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...
in
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. Occupying in the northwestern province of Estuaire, Libreville is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea. As of the 2013 census, its population was 703,904.
The area has been inh ...
for ''Bellier Africa Tournament''. His debut was made while aged 17 years and 283, making him the tenth youngest player to gain a full cap for
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
at that time (16th nowadays).
2000 Summer Olympics football tournament
Epalle played in the opening match of
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
, coming in as a substitute in the 78th minute for
Serge Branco
Serge Branco (born 11 October 1980) is a Cameroonian former professional footballer who played as a defender and as a midfielder.
Club career
Branco was born in Douala. In 1998, he left Cameroon to spend the initial years of his career in Germ ...
, in a match that his team won by a 3–2 scoreline. He started the next match against
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, a 1–1 draw, but he was substituted by
Daniel Kome in the 65th minute, just after the United States team scored its goal. He was benched in the two next matches, a 1–1 draw against the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. The situation did not change in the quarter final match against
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, a match that
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
won 2–1 after extra time. He featured again in the semi-final, a 1–2 win over
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
, as he came in to replace
Modeste Mbami in the 65th minute. In the final, against
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 ...
he came in as a substitute in the 91st minute to replace
Serge Branco
Serge Branco (born 11 October 1980) is a Cameroonian former professional footballer who played as a defender and as a midfielder.
Club career
Branco was born in Douala. In 1998, he left Cameroon to spend the initial years of his career in Germ ...
for the extra-time.
The score was 2–2 after extra-time and
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
finally won 5–3 in the penalty shoot-out to be named Olympic Gold Medallists.
2008 Africa Cup of Nations
Epalle was a starter in the opening match of the tournament for
The Indomitable Lions,a 4–2 loss against defending champions
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
. He was an unused substitute in
Cameroon's 5–1 win against
Zambia
Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent ...
, but he reappeared in the final match of the group stage, a 3–0 win against
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
. In the quarter final against
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
he came in as a substitute in the 62nd minute for
Emana to help his team win the match, as he assisted
Mbia
MBIA Inc. is an American financial services company. It was founded in 1973 as the Municipal Bond Insurance Association. It is headquartered in Purchase, New York, and as of January 1, 2015 had approximately 180 employees. MBIA is the largest bo ...
, with a flick-on, to score the match decider in extra time. In the semi final, Epalle came in for
Idrissou in the start of second half to help his team advance to the final. In the final Epalle was at the starting eleven, but he was substituted, in the 65th minute by
M'bami, in a match that saw
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
getting crowned
Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations referred to as AFCON (french: Coupe d'Afrique des Nations, sometimes referred to as CAN, or TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons), and sometimes as African Cup of Nations, is the main internati ...
champions for a sixth time.
Coaching career
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Epalle was appointed manager of French Regional club Val d'Europe FC. In September 2018 it was confirmed, that Epalle beside his manager position at Val d'Europe FC, also had been appointed the assistant manager of
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team ( French: ''équipe du Cameroun de football''), also known as the Indomitable Lions (French: ''les lions indomptables''), represents Cameroon in men's international football. It is controlled by the Fédéra ...
under newly appointed manager
Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Clyde Seedorf (; born 1 April 1976) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. He is regarded by many to be one of the best midfielders of his generation.
Seedorf is considered one of the most successful players in UEF ...
alongside
Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Stephan Kluivert (; born 1 July 1976) is a Dutch former football player, coach and sporting director. He played as a striker, most notably for AFC Ajax, FC Barcelona and the Netherlands national team.
He was part of Ajax's Golden Gene ...
and
Jean-Alain Boumsong
Jean-Alain Boumsong Somkong (born 14 December 1979) is a French former professional footballer who played as a defender. He began his senior career with French club Le Havre in 1997 before joining AJ Auxerre in 2000. His performances at Auxerre ...
.
Personal life
Epalle is married to Mari, with whom he has two daughters Marilyn and Zonti, both born in Greece and a son born in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
. He is also a cousin of his fellow
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
ian international
Timothée Atouba
Timothée Atouba (born 17 February 1982) is a Cameroonian footballer who played as a left back.
Career
Born in Douala, Cameroon, Atouba went to Europe to play for Swiss club Neuchatel Xamax.
Atouba signed for Tottenham Hotspur in August 2004 ...
.
Honours
Panathinaikos
*
Alpha Ethniki
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
:
2003–04
*
Greek Cup
The Greek Football Cup ( el, Κύπελλο Ελλάδος Ποδοσφαίρου), commonly known as the Greek Cup or Kypello Elladas is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.
The Greek Cup is the second most im ...
:
2003–04
Aris
*
Greek Cup
The Greek Football Cup ( el, Κύπελλο Ελλάδος Ποδοσφαίρου), commonly known as the Greek Cup or Kypello Elladas is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.
The Greek Cup is the second most im ...
: runner-up
2002–03
Cameroon
*
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
:
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
*
Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations referred to as AFCON (french: Coupe d'Afrique des Nations, sometimes referred to as CAN, or TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons), and sometimes as African Cup of Nations, is the main internati ...
:
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
; runner-up
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
*
FIFA Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup was an international association football tournament for men's national teams, held every four years by FIFA. It was contested by the holders of each of the six continental championships ( AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, ...
: runner-up
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Epalle, Joel
1978 births
Living people
People from Centre Region (Cameroon)
Ethnikos Piraeus F.C. players
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. players
Panathinaikos F.C. players
Cameroonian footballers
Cameroon under-20 international footballers
Cameroon international footballers
Cameroonian expatriate footballers
Olympic footballers of Cameroon
Olympic gold medalists for Cameroon
Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2001 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2002 African Cup of Nations players
2002 FIFA World Cup players
2003 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2008 Africa Cup of Nations players
VfL Bochum players
Panachaiki F.C. players
Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C. players
Azerbaijan Premier League players
FC Baku players
Sarawak FA players
Super League Greece players
Expatriate footballers in Greece
Bundesliga players
Expatriate footballers in Germany
Expatriate footballers in Azerbaijan
Olympic medalists in football
Union Douala players
Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Association football forwards
Association football midfielders
Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Azerbaijan
Expatriate footballers in Malaysia