Noah Yannick Joachim Zacharie, making his way far from Roland-Garros | OneFootball

At 22, Cameroonian left-back Noah Yannick Joachim Zacharie is building his career far from the tennis courts with Feronikeli 74 in Kosovo Second Division, and his team sealed promotion this weekend. According to L'Équipe, he joined in August 2025 and is under contract until June 2026.

His full civil name is a nod to French tennis greats. His father named him after Yannick Noah, his fourth given name Joachim echoes Joakim Noah, and his surname Zacharie matches the first name of the 1983 Roland-Garros winner’s father. His shirt reads YANNICK for simplicity and chants.

He has never played tennis, though he watched many sets with his tennis-loving father. The name brings curiosity, not hostility, with people asking about family ties or a meeting with Yannick Noah.

He was called up by Cameroon in 2022 for a game against Jamaica, but still awaits a debut. Two years later he moved to Europe with FC Saint-Gall, scoring one goal in 15 appearances, including two in the Conference League, before an early exit amid disagreements between club and entourage.

Clubless, he chose the lower-profile Kosovo Second Division, joining Feronikeli 74 in a promotion push. He settled quickly, became a regular, sometimes in midfield, and delivered five league goals in 32 games, 27 of them starts.

Away from the spotlight and Roland-Garros, he views Feronikeli as a springboard and wants a route back to Europe’s major leagues. He aims to honour the name he carries and believes more progress is possible.

Source: L'Équipe