Jean-Michel Tchouga

Early years

Tchouga played his youth football with local club KSA Yaoundé. He was scouted by Swiss team Yverdon-Sport and signed for them during the summer of 1997 joining their youth department. He advanced to their first team a year later under head coach Lucien Favre and achieved promotion with them at the end of the 1998–99 season. Tchouga stayed with YS and was a key-player as the team achieved the championship round of the 1999–2000. One of the most important games was on 2 October 1999 as Yverdon won 2–1 against Basel. The striker scored both goals and with his two goals, the then 20-year-old, made such a lasting impression on FCB coach Christian Gross that Basel signed him for the 2000/01 season.

Basel

Tschouga signed for FC Basel in the summer of 2000. He joined Basel's first team for their 2000–01 season under head coach Christian Gross. After playing in three test games, in which he scored four goals, Tschouga played his domestic league debut for his new team in the home game at the Stadion Schützenmatte on 15 July 2000. He scored his first league goal for his new team after just 12 minutes play and then in the second half went on to score flawless hat-trick, as Basel won 4–1 against Sion. After each goal, Tchouga performed an elegant little dance, wiggling his hips and waving and lowering his arms intact. This then became his trademark from then onwards. In the next home game he also scored a hat-trick, as Basel won 7–4 against Luzern. The team…

Tschouga lives in Kriens. He is coach in the youth department of FC Köniz. He is married and the couple have two daughters.