To say it was a match made in heaven would be a stretch but the relationship between Cameroonian fullback Nouhou and the Seattle Sounders has been simpatico. Both sides have benefited with plenty of room for growth.
On Wednesday afternoon the club announced they had retained the services of fan-favorite Nouhou for two years and a club option for a third year. From the day he joined Sounders FC 2 in 2016 it as obvious to the club’s coaches that he was special.
“ Credit my good Ezra Hendrickson for seeing something in him and who would have thought we would talking about a World Cup,” Head coach Brian Schmetzer said during Wednesday’s press conference.
Nouhou has 172 appearances for Sounders FC across all competitions since signing with the First Team prior to the 2017 season. His 143 MLS regular-season appearances rank second in club history among defenders, trailing only Chad Marshall’s 156. In addition to eight career assists, Nouhou scored his first professional goal in a 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo on September 4, 2022. He was one of six Sounders FC players that started the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, as well as one of seven to be named to the 2022 Concacaf Champions League Best XI. Originally signing with the organization as a member of Sounders FC 2, Nouhou led the squad with 24 USL appearances in 2016 before signing with the First Team the following season.
The Douala native has 20 career caps for the Cameroon National Team dating back to 2018. He played every minute of Cameroon’s three games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, including Les Lions Indomptables’ historic 1-0 win over Brazil. Nouhou started five of six appearances during 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, as well as all six of his appearances during Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations fourth-place tournament run in early 2022.
