André Onana has been hit with a fresh setback after being surprisingly omitted from Cameroon’s squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The goalkeeper, cast aside by Manchester United and unable to regain his form in the early months of a loan with Turkish Süper Lig side Trabzonspor, is among several high profile names not selected for the tournament that begins on Dec. 21.
Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar was left out too, as are fellow veterans Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Michael Ngadeu. Napoli’s André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is another omission, although the midfielder has also been nursing a hamstring injury in recent weeks. Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba were both selected.
While Onana’s form at club level over a long period certainly could be a factor, it comes as the Cameroon football federation (Fecafoot) descends into more chaos. Manager Marc Brys was dismissed on Monday after national icon Samuel Eto’o was reelected as Fecafoot president.
Brys was appointed by Cameroon’s sports ministry over Eto’o’s head in 2024, a decision the former Barcelona, Inter and Chelsea striker tried to reverse. The ministry previously opposed Eto’o sacking Toni Conceição in 2021 after a third-place finish at a home AFCON.
Fecafoot and the government were thought to have agreed on the choice of Rigobert Song to lead Cameroon at the 2022 World Cup, but seemingly fell out again when Brys was chosen as the retired defender’s successor.
Under Brys, Cameroon failed to reach the 2026 World Cup after losing an African playoff against first time qualifiers DR Congo last month. Onana played in that shock 1–0 defeat, as did Ngadeu, Aboubakar and Wolves defender Jackson Tchatchoua, who also misses out on AFCON.
