Player Details

Name

Nouhou Tolo

Pronunciation

NEW-hoo

Height

5' 10"

Weight

174 lbs

Date of Birth

6.23.1997 (27)

Birthplace

Douala, Cameroon

Position

Defender

Position Detail

Full Back

Preferred Side

Left

Footedness

Left

Roster Category

Senior
Career Summary

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2023 (Seattle): Nouhou had another solid season at the left back position for Seattle in 2023, making 28 appearances in the regular season (23 starts). He tallied 21 interceptions and 67 clearances during the 2023 campaign while winning 58 percent of his arial duels. The defender also made multiple appearances for Cameroon on the international stage, including in the country’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

2022 (Seattle): Nouhou established new career highs in appearances (30), starts, (28), minutes (2,505) and assists (3), in addition to scoring first career goal against Houston (September 4). He also made seven appearances for Seattle in its title-winning Concacaf Champions League run, earning Best XI honors. In the international scene, Nouhou was selected to Cameroon’s final roster for the 2022 FIFA World Cup QatarTM, playing every minute of Cameroon’s three group stage matches.

2021 (Seattle): Nouhou started 16 of 19 appearances in the regular season for Seattle, logging one assist against the LA Galaxy (May 2). He helped anchor a back line that allowed just 33 goals all season, as Sounders FC did not drop a match in its first 13 games of the season. He earned a spot on the 2021 MLS All-Star Roster alongside five of his teammates.

2020 (Seattle): Nouhou started 16 of 22 appearances, logging two assists. His first came in a 3-1 win over the LA Galaxy (September 27) before adding another in a 2-0 win over Vancouver (October 27). The Cameroon international also started all four postseason matches as the club advanced to its second consecutive MLS Cup. He also logged two 90-minute performances in the club’s 2020 Concacaf Champions League matches against Olimpia.

2019 (Seattle): Started nine of his 22 appearances, totaling 790 minutes, and recorded five shots including two on goal. He appeared in two playoff matches and played a total of 36 minutes while recording one shot on goal.

2018 (Seattle): After his first season on the First Team roster, Nouhou saw his role increase significantly in year two, making 23 starts and coming off the bench five times throughout the 2018 MLS regular season. The lockdown left back also played every minute of the 2018 Audi MLS Cup playoffs for Seattle. In his third overall season with the club, the Cameroonian established himself as an excellent 1-v-1 defender, helping guide Seattle to the second-best defensive record in the league. In the Sounders’ 4-1 home victory over the Houston Dynamo (October 8), Nouhou helped mitigate the visitors’ dangerous counter-attack while also providing his first assist of the campaign. In recognition of his excellent defensive work, Nouhou was named to Opta’s MLS Best XI as the starting left back. According to Opta, the Seattle defense conceded just 0.9 goals per 90 minutes during the 2,177 minutes Nouhou played, while that figure jumped to 1.2 per 90 in his absence. In his solitary USL appearance with Sounders FC 2, he recorded one tackle, one key pass and three interceptions.

2017 (Seattle): After impressing in his debut season with Sounders FC 2, Nouhou signed a First Team contract prior to the 2017 MLS campaign. Nouhou started 10 of his 19 MLS regular season appearances at left back, recording his first professional assist in a 4-3 comeback victory over D.C. United (July 19). He made five appearances and four starts in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, including a substitute appearance in the MLS Cup final. The defender also made six USL appearances, scoring his first professional goal in a 2-1 win over LA Galaxy II (April 15).

2016 (Sounders FC 2): In his first season in Seattle, Nouhou appeared in 24 matches for S2 and led the team with 2,061 minutes.

2015 (Rainbow FC): Nouhou made his professional debut with Cameroon’s Rainbow FC during the 2015 campaign.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

In 2017, Nouhou received his first cap for the Cameroonian national team in an African World Cup Qualifier match against Zambia. The defender started and played every minute of the 2-2 draw.

ACQUIRED

Signed with Sounders FC on January 26, 2017

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