Legendary Cameroon and Espanyol goalkeeper Thomas N’Kono has played down the scourge of racism plaguing Spanish football.

According to N’Kono, he never suffered racism during his nine years in Spain playing for Espanyol back in the 80s.

“Maybe I have been very lucky or maybe things were better before, I don’t know, but I have always felt respected, even very loved [in Spain],” N’Kono said.

“I swear I am very grateful to the people. I imagine you also get what you give. But today, when I go through Spain and arrive at a field, people who recognize me greet me with great affection. And in the boxes they treat me with honour, I guess in the end you get what you give.

“I never would have known I deserved this respect so much later. But I am not saying that racism does not exist, I am saying that I have been lucky not to suffer from it, but I cannot speak, I am privileged, I am aware that there are black people in this country who suffer from this problem,” N’Kono added

N’Kono also spoke about Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. who has labelled Spain a racist country after having a series of terrible experiences.

“If Vinicius wasn’t so decisive, they wouldn’t even pay attention to him,” N’Kono said.

“He should be grateful to people, grateful for what you have and give it back because what you give is always what you receive. At least that’s how I’ve experienced it.”

Source: Tribuna.com

FECAFOOT has issued an official statement to clarify its position regarding two charity matches scheduled for December 2024. These matches, announced on social media, are set to feature former stars of the Indomitable Lions facing off against a selection of Brazilian legends.

The event, which has quickly garnered the interest of football enthusiasts and several prominent figures in Cameroon, has become the center of controversy. In light of the numerous inquiries it has received, the governing body of Cameroonian football has taken a stand to distance itself from the organization of these matches.

In its statement, the Federation clearly emphasizes that it is not involved in any way with the organization of these exhibition matches. This clarification extends to the president of Fecafoot, who is also not personally associated with the event.

This clarification raises questions about the actual organizers of these matches and their legitimacy. It also highlights the need for caution regarding the use of the image of former Cameroonian internationals in sports events.

The firm stance of Fecafoot urges supporters and the media to exercise caution regarding this event, as its organizational details remain unclear. The Federation implicitly reminds that any official event involving the image of Cameroonian football should normally receive its approval.

Source: Footboom

In an unexpected twist, Marc Brys, head coach of the Indomitable Lions has issued an ultimatum that is now shaking the apparent calm following the recent joint statement from FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education (MINSEP).

The reason for this ultimatum is the absence of Mununga from the match sheet, the assistant to the 62-year-old Belgian tactician.

“If my assistant’s name is not on the match sheet soon, I will resign,” Brys declared at the post-match conference following Cameroon-Kenya.

This statement, unusually frank in the otherwise reserved realm of Cameroonian football, raises many questions about the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the national team.

The Belgian coach, not widely known to the public despite his experience, appears ready to put his position on the line for his assistant. This stance reveals not only a deep attachment to his coaching staff but also a possible reliance on his collaborator.

Timing

The timing of this declaration is particularly intriguing. While one might expect to see a jubilant coach following his players’ 4-1 victory over the Kenyans, Marc Brys made a heavy statement.

In recent days, tensions seemed to have eased between the governing bodies of Cameroonian football, but Brys has rekindled the embers of a latent conflict. His threat of resignation could be interpreted as a gesture of solidarity, but also as a tactic to safeguard his personal interests.

This situation highlights the fragility of the balance within the Indomitable Lions’ coaching setup. It also raises questions about the actual autonomy of the head coach in his technical choices and the potential interference in the composition of his staff.

The response of FECAFOOT to this ultimatum will be crucial. Will they yield to Brys’s pressure, risking the creation of a precedent, or will they maintain their position, even if it means losing their coach just months ahead of important deadlines?

This emerging crisis reveals the challenges facing Cameroonian football, caught between sporting ambitions and behind-the-scenes power struggles. The future of Marc Brys and his assistant may well become a symbol of a broader fight for control over the technical leadership of the Indomitable Lions.

While awaiting a resolution, Brys’s explosive statement leaves Cameroonian football in uncertainty, reminding us that even in sports, stakes often exceed the simple context of the pitch.

Source: Koaci

Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip has confirmed his retirement from football.

The centre-back departed the Reds in the summer after an eight-year spell that included 201 appearances and multiple major honours with the club.

Signed on a free transfer from Schalke 04 in 2016, Matip was a key figure throughout Jürgen Klopp’s reign as manager, helping to secure a return to Champions League football and starring in the run to glory in the competition in 2019 – including an assist for Divock Origi in the Madrid final against Tottenham Hotspur.

Matip featured as Liverpool went on to add the UEFA Super Cup, and was involved in nine Premier League games in 2019-20 as Klopp’s team emphatically ended the club’s 30-year wait to be crowned English champions again.

After a long-term injury curtailed his 2020-21 campaign, the ex-Cameroon international returned to stellar form as the Reds launched a quadruple bid the following season.

The No.32 clocked up 43 games – his most in a single campaign for the club – and appeared in both finals as the Carabao Cup and Emirates FA Cup were lifted at Wembley, while he and his teammates also finished runners-up in the top flight and Champions League.

He continued to be an important member of the squad in 2022-23 and into the beginning of 2023-24, but a cruel anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered last December prevented him from playing for the club again.

Matip and supporters said farewell to one another at Anfield on the final day of last season, ahead of the expiry of his contract, and he has now confirmed that his playing career has reached a conclusion.

He had previously spent seven years representing Schalke at senior level after progressing through their youth ranks, winning the German cup with the club in 2011.

In international football, Matip made 27 appearances and scored once for Cameroon, with whom he played at the World Cup in 2010 and 2014.

Everybody at LFC wishes Joel and his family the very best for the future.

Source: LFC

Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, and the President of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), Samuel Eto’o, announced a reshuffle of the Indomitable Lions’ coaching staff in a joint statement on Tuesday, October 1.

The decision was made “to restore the calm desired by Cameroonians around the national football team and in accordance with the directives of the President of the Republic,” the officials said in a joint statement.

The reshuffle affects all levels of the team’s management. Head coach Marc Brys remains in his position, along with assistants Joachim Mununga and Giannis Xilouris. François Omam Biyick and Ashu Cyprian Bessong, previously appointed as assistant coaches by the Sports Minister, are now designated as analyst supervisors. Martin Ndtoungou Mpilé and David Pagou, appointed by Fecafoot, will serve as new assistant coaches. The goalkeeper coach position will be shared between Idriss Carlos Kameni (Fecafoot) and Alioum Boukar (Ministry of Sports).

Dr. Patrick Joël Fotso, appointed team doctor by Fecafoot, will continue in his role, replacing Professor William Ngatchou, who had been nominated by the Minister. Additionally, Fecafoot’s appointees from May 30—Serge Pensy (Deputy National Teams Coordinator), Nicolas Alnoudji (Team Manager), Thierry Ndoh (Team Press Officer), Pierre Arnold Ebolo Abada (Liaison Officer), and physiotherapists Che Awah Daniel and Elias Kaleguem Fomekong—will also remain in their positions. However, a new national team coordinator has been named: former Indomitable Lion Timothée Atouba.

This reshuffle comes after a “series of consultations” aimed at easing ongoing tensions between Fecafoot and the Ministry of Sports. FIFA had sent a letter to the federation in August, stressing the need for “constructive dialogue” between the parties and warning that interference could lead to sanctions. In May, FIFA had recommended revisiting the 2015 agreement between the Ministry of Sports and Fecafoot to clarify their respective roles.

Both the Minister of Sports and the Fecafoot President “urge the Indomitable Lions to seize this renewed sense of calm to work toward reviving Cameroonian football,” while calling on fans to continue supporting the team.

Source: Sbbc