Cameroon has made a dramatic change just three weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, firing its head coach and immediately naming a replacement.
The decision to dismiss Belgian coach Marc Brys came after Cameroon was eliminated from 2026 World Cup qualifying. New coach David Pagou wasted no time in making his mark, announcing a 28-player AFCON squad late Monday that notably excluded key figures: captain Vincent Aboubakar and star goalkeeper André Onana.
Details of the Coaching Change
- Outgoing Coach: Marc Brys, who was appointed last year in a move that appeared to be favored by the sports ministry, possibly against the wishes of the soccer federation (FECAFOOT) led by legend Samuel Eto’o.
- Final Game: Brys’s last match was a 1-0 loss to Congo in the World Cup African qualifying playoffs last month.
- Federation Grievances: FECAFOOT published a list of complaints against Brys, including accusations of insubordination.
- New Coach: David Pagou, an experienced coach within the Cameroon league.
The New Squad
The most significant omissions from Pagou’s squad are:
- Vincent Aboubakar (33): The prolific forward’s 45 national team goals are second only to Eto’o (56). He scored the late winning goal in the 2017 AFCON final against Egypt.
- André Onana: The goalkeeper is currently on loan from Manchester United to Trabzonspor in the Turkish league.
The squad does include key players such as Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo.
AFCON Outlook
Cameroon will open its AFCON campaign in Group A on December 24 against Gabon. They are also grouped with defending champion Ivory Coast and Mozambique. The tournament kicks off on December 21.
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