André Kana-Biyik

**André Kana-Biyik** (born 1 September 1965) is a former Cameroonian footballer who played as a defender. The brother of François, he started a professional career in 1986 with Diamant Yaoundé. From 1988 to 1994 he played in France Ligue 1 with FC Metz and Le Havre AC, making 64 appearances and scoring 15 goals. With the Cameroon national football team he participated at the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups. Known for his robust defense and tactical intelligence, Kana-Biyik brought a wealth of experience and resilience to the backline, fiercely protecting the goal with his commanding presence. Though Cameroon faced tough competition, André's ability to read the game and make crucial intercepts was undeniable, even as he navigated the tournament's challenges, including receiving key yellow cards. With every minute he played, Kana-Biyik left an indelible mark on the pitch, embodying the spirit and tenacity of Cameroonian football on the world stage. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest Cameroonian football players of all time.

## Club career

He made his debut in adult football in 1982 with performances for the team "Diamant" (Yaoundé), in which he spent six seasons.

With his play for this team, he attracted the attention of representatives of the coaching staff of the Mets club, which he joined in 1988. He played for the team from Metz for the next two seasons of his playing career.

In 1990, he moved to the Le Havre club, for which he played 4 seasons. He ended his professional career as a football player with performances for the Le Havre team in 1994.

## International career

He participated in 4 African Cup of Nations tournaments in 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1992. He also has two World Cups to his name, in 1990 and 1994. During the championship in Italy, he was punished with a red card, in the match against Argentina, and the Cameroonians, playing ten, managed to score a goal that gave them the victory. Andre Kany-Biyik's brother François entered the scoresheet, and the "Indomitable Lions" ended this match in 9, as Jean-Claude Pagal also received a red card at the end of the match. He played his last match for the national team during the 1994 World Cup, in a 1:6 loss to Russia. He later tried to continue his career at the club, but a knee injury resurfaced and Kana-Biyik was forced to end his career at the age of 29.

## Honours

**Le Havre**
- French Division 2: 1990–1991 (Group B)

**Cameroon**
- African Cup of Nations: 1988; runner-up, 1986
- Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1985

## Infobox (football biography)

- **name**: André Kana-Biyik
- **caption**: Kana-Biyik (left) and Carlos Valderrama at the 1990 World Cup
- **fullname**: André Kana-Biyik
- **birth place**: Sackbayene, Cameroon
- **position**: Defender (association football), Defender
- **years1**: 1982–1988
- **clubs1**: Diamant Yaoundé
- **caps1**: 319
- **goals1**: 31
- **years2**: 1988–1990
- **clubs2**: FC Metz, Metz
- **caps2**: 20
- **goals2**: 1
- **years3**: 1990–1994
- **clubs3**: Le Havre AC, Le Havre
- **caps3**: 173
- **goals3**: 16
- **totalcaps**: 512
- **totalgoals**: 48
- **nationalyears1**: 1985–1994
- **nationalteam1**: Cameroon national football team, Cameroon
- **nationalcaps1**: 64
- **nationalgoals1**: 15