Martin Hongla will not be travelling with Cameroon for the AFCON 2023 (January 13-February 11, 2024). The defensive midfielder has not been called up by Rigobert Song.

Some in the country argued that this was a sanction, as the player would be guilty of stealing goods belonging to his teammates during the March 2023 gathering. The Indomitable Lions coach denied this.

“He never stole, there’s no problem. He’s a player I’ve known since the U23s, he’s like my son. Martin Hongla has never stolen, it’s simply a choice on my part not to call him up,” Rigobert Song insisted in comments relayed by So Foot.

Source: Sportsnewsafrica

Head coach of the Cameroon national team, Rigobert Song has named a provisional squad of 27 players likely to represent the Indomitable Lions during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast 2023.

The five-time champions, who last won it in 2017 are drawn in Group C alongside Senegal, Gambia and Guinea.

The provisional squad:

GOALKEEPERS: André Onana, Epassy quote, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Fabrice Ondoa

DEFENDERS: Jean-Charles Castelletto, Harold Moukoudi, Oumar Gonzalez, Darlin Yongwa, Nouhou Tolo, Christopher Wooh, Enzo Tchato, Junior Tchamadeu, Malcolm Bokele

MIDFIELDERS: Yvan Neyou, Olivier Kemen, Olivier Ntcham, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Wilfried Nathan Douala, Benjamin Elliot Njongue

FORWARDS: Karl Toko-Ekambi, George-Kevin Nkoudou, Vincent Aboubakar, Faris Pemi Moumbagna, François-Régis Mughe, Frank Magri, Leonel Ateba, Clinton Njié

All selections are provisional until the final list of 24 players is announced by CAF after the submission deadline on Wednesday, 03 January.

Source: CAFonline

Former Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o is reportedly working on luring Yann Bisseck to Cameroon for the African Cup of Nations.

The 42-year-old played for the Nerazzurri between 2009 and 2011, forming a deadly attacking partnership with Diego Milito. He won the historic treble during his maiden campaign at Appiano Gentile.

Today, the Barcelona legend serves as the head of the Cameroonian Football Federation.

Therefore, the retired striker will be looking to bolster his national team’s ranks ahead of the upcoming African Cup of Nations.

AFCON 2023 will take place in the Ivory Coast between January 13th and February 11th.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport via FcInterNews24, Eto’o has contacted Bisseck asking him to join the Indomitable Lions.

The former Nerazzurri star even called the club to inquire about the player’s qualities.

The 23-year-old was born in Koln and has been representing the German national team through various age ranks. He currently plays for Germany U21.

But since he has yet to make his senior debut, he can still change his international allegiance and join his country of origin.

Source: sempreinter

Samuel Eto’o was clearly unaware of the publication of a book dedicated to the first two years of his presidency at the head of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), written by journalist Jean-Bruno Tagne, who was once his campaign manager.

The title, “L’arnaque” (“The scam”), is quite evocative and should make the former captain and striker of the Indomitable Lions sit up and take notice.

In it, the author discusses the campaign, Eto’o’s first two years and the broken promises, the numerous affairs that have rocked the body, the organization of competitions, as well as FECAFOOT governance and the “very personal” exercise of power. The interested party’s reaction should not be long in coming…

Source: Sports news africa

A team comprising former star footballers of Cameroon beat ex-Nigeria players 3-1 in a testimonial game on Thursday evening.

In front of over 10,000 spectators at the Omnisport Stadium in the seaside resort town of Limbe, Julius Aghahowa netted the sole Nigerian goal for the Jay-Jay Okocha-led squad.

Samuel Eto’o, Bernard Tchoutang and Ndip Tambe scored for Cameroon to overpower Nigeria in a match billed as a repeat of the 2000 African Nations Cup final in which Cameroon defeated Super Eagles on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

“Quite an entertaining game and it would have been a wonderful coincidence if the result was the same as the original 2000 final. These legends can still play in championships today,” Nigerian supporter Emeka James who watched the match said.

Cameroonian supporter Michael Jaaba was particularly enthused about seeing legends such as Samuel Eto’o and Jay-Jay Okocha.

“They did not disappoint us. We enjoyed the gala match,” he said.

Cameroon organized the game as part of activities to mark International Plantain Festival, which will be officially launched in the country on Friday.

Source: Xinhaunet

PSG’s young striker Hugo Ekitike (21) is in the sights of the Cameroon Football Federation. Samuel Eto’o is considering a meeting with the player, who has already played for France’s U20s.

His lack of playing time with the reigning French champions has not discouraged the Indomitable Lions, who intend to convince him to join their squad for the 2023 African Cup of Nations, according to the French press.

Source: Sports News Africa

Cameroon defeated Mauritius 3-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at home on Friday night.

The Indomitable Lions put pressure on the visitors right from the start during the game held at the Japoma Stadium in Douala.

It paid off when Bryan Mbeumo scored a late first-half goal, while Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and Frank Magri also scored in the second half despite the absence of the injured captain and striker Vincent Aboubakar.

“We are pleased with the result, but the journey ahead is long. We will continue to work hard to achieve our goal of qualifying for the World Cup,” Cameroon’s head coach Rigobert Song told a post-match press conference.

Cameroon face Libya next Tuesday. Group D also includes Cape Verde, Angola and Eswatini.

Source: Xinhuanet

Francis Ngannou has recently struggled to sleep through the night even after some of the most grueling training sessions of his decade-long combat sports career.

Every once in a while, the former UFC heavyweight champion turned imminent professional boxer will wake up in his Las Vegas home thinking about the day’s work in the gym. He’ll particularly go over the coaching he’s receiving from his childhood idol, former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

“In the night, it’s like, ‘Am I tripping? Is it real?’ ” Ngannou explained at a recent press conference. “Then I walk around and realize, no, I’m not dreaming. This is real.”

Ngannou’s fighting dreams were born when he was a child working in the Cameroon sand mines and heard tales of Tyson knocking out opponents and winning title fights on the other side of the world. He didn’t even actually see Tyson box until a few years later when he saved up enough money to travel to the city and search for the superstar boxer on YouTube.

Ngannou eventually emigrated to France, on foot, with his sights set on becoming a professional boxer, but he was convinced to pursue mixed martial arts instead. But boxing never left his mind, so much so that when he first met Tyson four or five years ago before he won the UFC title, Ngannou said he had one question for him.

“One thing that I precisely requested from Mike Tyson was whenever I fight Tyson Fury, would he be in my corner,” Ngannou said. “At that time everybody was looking at me as a fool for even (thinking about) fighting Tyson Fury.”

On Saturday, October 28, in Riyadh, Saudi Arbaia, Ngannou (0-0 in boxing) will fight the lineal heavyweight champion Fury (33-0, 1 no contest) with Tyson in his corner.

“He thinks he’s in a dream? F*ckin’ hell, I’m definitely in a dream. I’m named after (Mike Tyson) and now I’m in the opposite corner to him (35) years later?” Fury said.

“I have to take my hat off to Francis for his story and where he’s come from and the fight, the grind, the determination and everything he’s put into it to get to where he is. He was just a young boy in Africa with a big dream and everybody probably laughed at him when he said he was going to go to Las Vegas and win the UFC heavyweight championship. And then, when he said he was fighting Tyson Fury, they still laughed at him, but I never laugh at anybody because I know the man’s struggle. I come from a place where anything is possible.”

Boxing pundits give the 37-year-old Ngannou little chance to defeat the 35-year-old Fury in his maiden boxing voyage, and betting odds imply only an 8% chance at victory. But he arguably just faced an even larger foe, albeit in a bout that took place outside the ring.

For the past several years, Ngannou had waged a war with the UFC. One of his many points of contention with the locally-based fighting promoter was that it wouldn’t sign off on outside opportunities like the upcoming boxing match with Fury.

Ngannou feels like he won after the UFC gave up on contract negotiations and waived its right to match a deal with another promotion. He wound up signing with the Professional Fighters League, which welcomed his intentions to try out boxing.

Ngannou is expected to return to mixed martial arts and make his PFL debut sometime next year after the Fury fight.

“I’m going to fight the best boxer in the world for my first boxing fight,” Ngannou said. “I always ask myself, ‘What is going to happen the moment that guy hits the floor and my hand is up? Are you the best boxer in the world now? What would that be?’ If you take out the No. 1, I think you are the No. 1 … but it’s really hard to think about. I think right now, I focus on taking him out and then I’ll figure out the rest later.”

Fury has all but guaranteed victory, saying he wouldn’t only defeat Ngannou in boxing but also in mixed martial arts “if the money was right.” Ngannou has the world record for hardest punch ever recorded, 129,161 units on a PowerKube unit, so even Fury has admitted his opponent has “a puncher’s chance.”

The long odds against him don’t bother Ngannou after he’s defied them every step of his life and career so far. Having Mike Tyson by his side is proof enough that anything is possible.

“Go back and watch this man’s story. If you doubt him now, you will be sorry come October 28,” Ngannou’s longtime agent Marquel Martin said. “This man will shock the world. He’s done it time and again. It’s destined to be.”

Source: Las Vegas Weekly

Lawyers representing Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), have denied that the former striker has been notified of legal proceedings against him.

In a statement, French law firm Vey & Associes dismissed allegations made against the 42-year-old as “calumnious rumours”, adding that Eto’o had not been informed of any judicial action or been issued with any kind of summons.

Whilst widespread media reports claimed on Friday that the four-time African Player of the Year was facing action linked to match-fixing allegations, a Cameroonian police document spoke of allegations of “abuse of authority, corruption” and other unnamed claims.

These police reports appear to have been based on a redacted image of an official-looking document. Although the BBC has seen the image, it has not yet been able to obtain confirmation of its authenticity from the authorities in Cameroon.

This is not the first time Eto’o’s Fecafoot presidency has come into question recently.

Last week, a group of football officials in Cameroon sent an open letter to Fifa claiming that the world governing body had “remained silent” on allegations raised against Eto’o despite “numerous complaints and reminders from Cameroonian football actors”.

The signatories of the letter included Fecafoot executive committee member Guibai Gatama as well as the president and vice-president of the Professional Football League of Cameroon, the organisation that runs league competitions in the country.

Alleging that the former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea player “continues to illegally impose himself on the Fecafoot presidency”, the letter said the situation was “perhaps even more serious” than the case involving former Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales and World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso, which resulted in Fifa suspending Rubiales for 90 days and initiating disciplinary proceedings against him.

It also accused Fifa of operating a “two-speed management” between Africa and Europe which had allowed the continent to become “a kind of enclave where you can take liberties with the ethics and exemplarity that sports leaders should embody”.

Responding to the letter, Vey & Associes said Eto’o had launched a series of reforms to reorganise Cameroonian football leadership and was supported by “the vast majority of stakeholders”.

They also described the letter as “harmful” and “defamatory”, adding that Eto’o’s “bold policy change” would arouse “resistance from individuals ready to do anything to avoid losing their income from corruption”.

In July, a group representing amateur clubs in Cameroon called on Eto’o to resign and cited “grave irregularities” within Fecafoot following an 11-1 vote by Cameroon’s Amateur Clubs’ Association (ACFAC) in favour of asking him to stand down.

At the time, the BBC invited Fecafoot to comment on the nature of ACFAC’s claims but has received no response.

In August, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) began an investigation into allegations of improper conduct made against Eto’o, stating it had received “written statements from several Cameroonian football stakeholders” and would be “looking into these requests based on and in accordance with the Caf statutes and regulations”.

A Caf statement also said that on first impression the allegations looked “serious” but Eto’o would be “presumed innocent until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise”.

The BBC is also yet to receive comment from Fecafoot on Caf’s investigation.

During a glittering playing career, Eto’o was named African Footballer of the Year on four occasions, won three Uefa Champions League titles and represented Cameroon 115 times, winning two Africa Cup of Nations with the Indomitable Lions.

Source: BBC