Alain Goma
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alain Goma | ||
| Date of birth | 5 October 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Sault, France | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1982–1988 | Versailles | ||
| 1988–1990 | Auxerre | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1990–1998 | Auxerre | 166 | (4) |
| 1998–1999 | Paris Saint-Germain | 30 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | Newcastle United | 33 | (1) |
| 2001–2006 | Fulham | 117 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | Al-Wakrah | ||
| Total | 346 | (5) | |
| National team | |||
| 1996–1998 | France | 2 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Alain Goma (born 5 October 1972) is a French retired footballer who played as a right back or a central defender.
In a 16-year professional career he appeared in 196 Ligue 1 games, mostly for Auxerre. He then played 147 matches in the Premier League, with Newcastle and Fulham.
Born in Sault, Vaucluse, Goma started his football career playing for Paris-suburb club RC Versailles, joining AJ Auxerre's famed youth academy in 1988 at the age of 15. Three years later, he made his Ligue 1 debut for the team led by legendary Guy Roux.
In 1992–93, Goma took part in Auxerre's unprecedented semifinal run in the UEFA Cup, where they lost in the semi-finals to AFC Ajax in a penalty shootout. At the end of the season he signed his very first professional contract, going on to be instrumental in the side's 1996 double while also helping them to the 1996–97 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals – losing to eventual winners Borussia Dortmund – after winning the group stage over Ajax.
After ten years at Auxerre, Goma moved to Paris Saint-Germain FC, conquering the 1998 French Super Cup soon after signing. After that single campaign he joined Newcastle United for £4.7 million, becoming an important player at the start of 2000–01 and scoring in a 3–1 win against Middlesbrough in October 2000.
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