PRONUNCIATION
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2017 (Columbus): Tchani hasn’t made an appearance this season.
2016 (Columbus): Tchani made 21 appearances (20 starts) for Crew SC with 16 appearances coming at central midfield and five at central attacking midfield and notched one goal and three assists. He was called-up by and made his first career appearance for the Cameroon National Team in an Africa Cup of Nations qualification contest vs. South Africa (March 26). He started in a shutout effort against Montreal (June 18) and remained there against the Red Bulls (June 25) and at Sporting Kansas City (July 3), where he registered his first assist of the campaign. He recorded an assist in back-to-back contests, and also the 20th of his MLS career, with a helper at New England (July 9). Tchani continued in the starting lineup vs. Toronto FC (July 13) and vs. D.C. United (July 16), where he registered his third assist of the season. He scored his first goal of the campaign in a start vs. Orlando (July 23). He received a call-up from Cameroon prior to the Indomitable Lions' Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia (September 3) and their friendly against Gabon (September 6). He earned his second cap for Cameroon with a start in the match against Gabon. He returned to Crew SC's starting lineup at central attacking midfield against Vancouver (September 10). Tchani made two appearances in the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as he started at central midfield in the 4-0 win over Tampa Bay (June 15) and again in the Round of 16 match at Chicago (June 28).
2015 (Columbus): Tchani made 32 appearances (32 starts) at central midfield with five goals and six assists. He started the season opener at Houston (March 7). In a start versus the New York Red Bulls (March 28), he scored his first goal of the season, and he registered his first assist of the season vs. Philadelphia (April 25). Tchani started the club’s international friendly vs. Valencia CF (May 27). He scored his second goal of the season at Orlando (May 30) and added his third goal, setting a new single-season best, at Real Salt Lake (June 27). He scored his fourth goal of the season vs. Toronto FC (July 25), doubling his previous season career-best. Tchani reached a milestone by making his 100th all-time Crew SC appearance with a start against New York City FC (August 19). He scored his fifth goal of the season, extending his career-best campaign, against Sporting Kansas City (August 22) and notched his fourth assist of the season by helping on Kei Kamara’s game-winner at D.C. United (September 19). He added his fifth assist in a 2-0 win at Toronto (October 17) and notched another assist as part of a 5-0 win over D.C. United (October 25). In the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, Tchani started all five matches for Columbus. He started and captained Crew SC in its 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round contest at Richmond (June 17), registering an assist and helping the club earn a 3-1 victory. He again captained Crew SC in the Round of 16 at Orlando (June 30).
2014 (Columbus): Tchani made 33 appearances -- all starts -- at central midfield. Tchani registered six assists over the campaign, establishing a new career-best. He recorded a full 90 minutes in the 2014 Season Opener on the road against D.C. United (March 8) and started Columbus’ first 26 matches. He recorded his first assist of the season on Bernardo Anor’s opening goal against Montreal (July 19). He made his second all-time postseason appearance for the Black & Gold -- and fourth overall MLS Cup Playoffs appearance -- in the club’s match against New England (November 1). He started in the second leg at New England (November 9) and scored his first career MLS Cup Playoffs goal. Tchani started in both of the club's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches, including the Fourth Round win over Indy Eleven (June 17) and the Fifth Round defeat at Chicago (June 25).
2013 (Columbus): Tchani made 22 appearances -- including 13 starts -- in the central midfield and recorded one assist. He missed the match against Philadelphia (April 6) with a right adductor inflammation before making his first start of the season against D.C. (April 27) and seven straight starts through June 5 at Philadelphia. He also made a substitute appearance in the international friendly against Wigan Athletic (July 13). Tchani again returned to the starting lineup at Montreal (September 14) and then recorded his first assist of the season on Bernardo Anor’s goal against Chicago (September 21). Tchani made six consecutive starts to finish the regular-season. He added a start at central midfield in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the 2-1 loss in the Fourth Round at Chicago (June 13). In MLS Reserve League action, he recorded one goal and one assist in six starts.
2012 (Columbus): In his first full season with the Black & Gold, Tchani played in 22 matches, 14 of which were starts. The Cameroonian midfielder scored two goals and notched two assists in 1331 minutes of action. His assist to Jairo Arrieta on August 25 was a game-winner.
2011 (Red Bulls/TFC/Columbus): Beginning the season in New York, Tchani playing two games with one start before being traded to Toronto FC on April 1. He appeared in 13 matches for TFC, all starts, and tallied one goal against Columbus on March 24. On July 15, he was traded to Columbus in exchange for Andy Iro and Leandre Griffit. Tchani missed the rest of the regular season due to injury. He made his club debut in playoff match against Colorado on October 27.
2010 (Red Bulls): Tchani played in 27 matches, starting 17 and scoring a goal while adding three assists. Tchani made his MLS debut as a second half sub in 1-0 win over Chicago on March 20. He made first MLS start in 4-0 loss to San Jose on May 8 and scored first career MLS goal vs. Columbus on May 20. Tchani picked up first career assist on Rafa Márquez goal at Toronto on August 21.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
As of September 7, 2016
Tchani has earned two senior caps for Cameroon and one senior cap for the United States. In late 2015, Tchani received a call-up from Cameroon, but was not able to join the Indomitable Lions due to injury. He then received a call-up by the U.S. on January 6, 2016 by head coach Jürgen Klinsmann to participate in U.S. Soccer's annual January camp. Held in Carson, California, the camp began on January 11, 2016. Tchani made his first appearance for the United States with a substitute appearance in a friendly against Iceland on January 31.
Following the camp, Tchani received another call-up from Cameroon in March 2016 to join the Indomitable Lions ahead of two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He joined the side and made his first Cameroon appearance on March 26 against South Africa. As the contest was a non-friendly, Tchani became cap-tied to Cameroon upon making the appearance. The Indomitable Lions called Tchani up again prior to a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Gambia (Sept. 3) and a friendly against Gabon (Sept. 6), with both contests taking place in Limbe. He recorded his second career Cameroon appearance with a start in the friendly against Gabon, playing 52 minutes.
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
Tchani helped the University of Virgina win the NCAA Tournament in 2009. He spent two seasons in Virginia, recording eight goals and four assists in 2009 and was a First Team All-America selection by the NSCAA and College Soccer News. The midfielder earned spots on the ACC All-Tournament Team, NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team and All-ACC Second Team. He was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2009. He earned the 2008 ACC Freshman of the Year Award after notching nine goals and three assists.
Tchani was acquired by Columbus on July 15, 2011 in exchange for Andy Iro and Leandre Griffit.
PERSONAL
Tchani is the son of Marceline Gagom. In his spare time, he enjoys relaxing and playing the FIFA, NBA 2K, and Street Fighter video game series, and knows the special moves for every character in Street Fighter . Tchani also enjoys listening to rap, reggae, hip-hop and African music. He lists reading FourFourTwo magazine and visiting World Star Hip Hop’s website when not playing soccer. Tchani’s favorite soccer memory was winning the 2009 National Championship. His favorite movie is “Gladiator.” Tchani enjoys going back to his home country of Cameroon, traveling to Europe and wants to visit Fiji someday. Outside of MLS, he supports Chelsea FC and his favorite soccer players are Zinedine Zidane and Kaka. Tchani’s role model is his mother, Marceline and he supports the Boston Celtics outside of soccer. In addition to English, Tchani is fluent in French. Born in Douala, Cameroon, Tchani moved to the United States as a teenager with his mother.
