The Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT), under the renewed leadership of Samuel Eto’o, has plunged the national team into crisis weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This follows the dramatic sacking of head coach Marc Brys and the exclusion of captain Vincent Aboubakar and star goalkeeper André Onana. The overhaul, executed just after Eto’o’s re-election to a second four-year term, strongly suggests a political purge where sporting merit has been sacrificed for the consolidation of power, severely threatening the Indomitable Lions’ tournament prospects.
The sequence of events has been rapid and confrontational. Just two days after being re-elected as FECAFOOT president in late November, Samuel Eto’o and his executive committee announced the dismissal of head coach Marc Brys. The federation’s statement was scathing, accusing the Belgian of “professional failure” and “inciting players to defy Fecafoot.” These accusations are the culmination of a power struggle that began in April 2024, when the Cameroon Ministry of Sports appointed Brys against Eto’o’s wishes—a decision the federation president immediately and publicly contested.
This incident adds to the established pattern of turbulence under Eto’o’s presidency, defined by a relentless clash with the Ministry of Sports and the removal of coaches who are not his allies. He has overseen a revolving door of managers, including dismissing Conceição after a third-place AFCON finish and removing Rigobert Song following a poor tournament. Eto’o frames all dissent as an attack on the nation itself, justifying severe action against anyone who challenges his authority, including officials and players perceived as siding with the ministry or previous officials who don’t align.
The Symbolic Exclusion of André Onana
The most symbolic exclusion from the new AFCON squad is that of goalkeeper André Onana, a move deeply intertwined with past disciplinary issues and current political calculations. Onana’s relationship with the national setup has been rocky, notably during the 2022 World Cup when he was sent home early after a disagreement with then-coach Rigobert Song—a period where Eto’o loomed large over the camp. Although Onana had recently reclaimed his starting role under Brys, his omission now, alongside other veteran leaders, points to decisions motivated by allegiance rather than form. It is perceived as a direct move against players linked to the old guard or seen as supportive of the previous coach, reinforcing the narrative of a purge.
The noticeably side-lined players largely seen as pillars leaders of Cameroon’s National team include Andre Onana, Vincent Aboubakar (team captain, Michael Ngadeu, and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Disastrous Timing for AFCON Prospects
The timing of this upheaval, just weeks before the tournament, could be disastrous for Cameroon’s campaign. New coach David Pagou has almost no time to implement his system or build cohesion. The squad is stripped of its captain and most-capped goalkeeper, creating a major leadership vacuum. This comes amid a brutally difficult “group of death” featuring defending champions Ivory Coast. The combined effect of tactical disruption, lost experience, and internal turmoil has severely damaged Cameroon’s chances of a successful tournament, risking on-field failure for the sake of off-field control.
The current crisis represents the latest front in a protracted war for control of Cameroonian football. While Eto’o frames his battle with the Ministry of Sports as a fight for football’s independence, his actions—consolidating power, removing opponents, and making sweeping changes based on allegiance, mirror the political tactics he decries. With a weakened squad and a divided administration, the Indomitable Lions enter AFCON 2025 not as feared contenders but as a cautionary tale. The coming tournament will reveal whether Eto’o’s gamble to prioritise absolute control over stability and unity will backfire, resulting in further disgrace on the continental stage.
This analysis incorporates information from a BBC Sport Africa report.
