Ibrahim Aoudou

**Ibrahim Aoudou** (23 August 1955 – 19 April 2022) was a Cameroonian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He was born in Mbalmayo. He competed for the Cameroon national team at the 1982 FIFA World Cup as a winger. At a club level, he joined French club AS Cannes from Canon Yaoundé in 1981 and stayed three years there before ending his career with two short stints at RC Besancon and US Corte.
Aoudou showcased his remarkable resilience and tactical prowess on the field. As a key player in the Indomitable Lions' defensive line-up, Aoudou played every minute of Cameroon's historic group stage run, which included stalwart performances against reigning champions Italy and eventual third-place finishers Poland. Known for his exceptional ability to read the game and intercept crucial passes, Aoudou's defensive contributions helped Cameroon remain unbeaten in all three of their matches, a remarkable feat for the World Cup debutants. His disciplined play was further underscored by receiving no yellow cards throughout the tournament, underscoring his clean but effective style of play. Fans still remember his leadership and calm influence at the back, which cemented his status as a beloved figure in Cameroonian football history. Considered as one of the best defenders in African football.  In 2006, he was selected by CAF as one of the best 200 African football players of the last 50 years.

## Club career

He made his debut in adult football in 1974 playing for Canon Yaoundé, where he spent seven seasons, becoming the champion of the country three times and the winner of the national Cup, as well as once the owner of the African Cup Winners' Cup and twice the winner of the African Champions Cup.

With his play for this team, he attracted the attention of representatives of the coaching staff of the French club Cannes, which he joined in 1981. He played for the team from Cannes for the next three seasons of his playing career. Most of the time spent with Cannes, he was the main defensive player of the team, playing 85 matches in the second division, after which in the 1985/86 season he defended the colors of the Besançon club.

He finished his playing career in the amateur French team Corte, for which he played during 1986-1987.

## International career

On March 18, 1979, he made his debut in official matches as part of the national team of Cameroon in the selection game for the African Cup of Nations qualification against Guinea (0:3).

As part of the national team, he was a participant in the 1982 World Cup in Spain, where he played in all three matches, but the team did not get out of the group.

Subsequently, M'Bida participated with the national team in three consecutive African Cups of Nations - 1982, 1984 and 1986, and in the second of them, in Côte d'Ivoire, he won the title of continental champion, and in the next, in Egypt, he won silver with the team.

He was also a member of the national team at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, playing in all three matches, but the Cameroonians did not advance from the group.

In total, during his career in the national team, which lasted 8 years, he spent 48 matches in its uniform, scoring 4 goals.

## Honours

- Club
- Cameroon Championship: 1977, 1979, 1980
- Cameroon Cup: 1976, 1977, 1978
- African Champions Cup: 1978, 1980
- CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 1979

- International
- African Cup of Nations: 1984; runner-up, 1986

## Infobox (football biography)

- **name**: Ibrahim Aoudou
- **fullname**: Ibrahim Aoudou
- **height**: 1.85 m
- **birth place**: Mbalmayo, Cameroon
- **position**: Defender (association football), Defender
- **years1**: 1974–1981
- **clubs1**: Canon Yaoundé
- **years2**: 1981–1985
- **clubs2**: AS Cannes, Cannes
- **caps2**: 85
- **goals2**: 3
- **years3**: 1985–1986
- **clubs3**: RC Besancon
- **caps3**: 22
- **goals3**: 0
- **years4**: 1986–1987
- **clubs4**: US Corte
- **caps4**: 26
- **goals4**: 0
- **totalcaps**: 343
- **totalgoals**: 11
- **nationalyears1**: 1979–1986
- **nationalteam1**: Cameroon national football team, Cameroon
- **nationalcaps1**: 48
- **nationalgoals1**: 4