Cameroon plunged into turmoil just days before the Africa Cup of Nations as tensions escalated between Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, and national team manager Marc Brys.
Eto’o, marking his fourth year as federation president on Thursday, reportedly wants Brys removed from his post. However, the Belgian coach, whose contract with the Ministry of Sport runs until September 2026, has refused to step down, leaving the situation unresolved.
The standoff has caused major confusion, with Cameroon naming two separate AFCON squads. On December 1, the Cameroonian FA, under Eto’o’s leadership, announced a 28-man squad with David Pagou — not Brys — as head coach. Pagou, now officially listed on FIFA’s website, held a press conference to present the squad and Cameroon’s tournament plans, accompanied by a newly appointed coaching staff.
The squad included several surprise omissions, such as former Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana, ex-Bayern Munich forward Eric Choupo-Moting, and veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar. Sources suggest Eto’o may have deliberately excluded Aboubakar, 33, to prevent him from surpassing Eto’o’s all-time goal-scoring record; Aboubakar is currently 12 goals shy of the milestone.
The saga took another twist on Wednesday when Brys, refusing to accept his dismissal, released a second Cameroon squad that reinstated the previously omitted players, deepening the controversy.
The dispute has cast uncertainty over Cameroon’s AFCON preparations, leaving fans, players, and officials in limbo just as the tournament is set to begin.
