Cameroon attacker Christian Bassogog has announced he will donate 10m CFA Francs ($16,000 or £13,000) to Cameroonian students living in areas of China stricken by the deadly coronavirus.

The 24-year-old, who joined the Chinese Super League club Henan Jianye in 2017, is currently in Yaounde while football is suspended in China due to the virus.

Cameroon’s embassy in China says there are close to 300 Cameroonians, mainly students, living in Hubei Province, considered the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic.

Of those around 200 are currently in the city of Wuhan which has been under quarantine since 23 January.

“China has a special place in my heart and that’s where I ply my trade,” Bassogog said after meeting with Cameroon’s minister delegate of external relations in charge of the Commonwealth.

“This money is aimed at helping Cameroonian nationals living in China especially the students.

“It’s important that we come together in such periods and show such support and love to the needy.

“We want more Cameroonians across the world to reach out and support not just their country men but also China as a nation.”

His donation comes after the central African nation’s president Paul Biya ordered for 50m CFA Francs ($82000 or £65,000) to be made available to the country’s embassy in Beijing, to provide assistance to Cameroonians living in the affected areas.

Bassogog, who burst into recognition after being named the Player of the Tournament at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations as Cameroon won the title, says he hopes his donation can spur more Cameroonian athletes to pay attention to the medical crisis in China.

Earlier this month, a Cameroonian student Kem Senou Pavel Daryl, was discovered to have contracted the disease in Zhengzhou, Henan province.

After two weeks of treatment, the 21-year-old showed no trace of the ailment, becoming the first African person known to be infected with the deadly coronavirus and the first to recover.

Source: BBC

The football world was thrown into mourning when the Cameroon legend died after collapsing during a Confederations Cup game in Lyon

Former Cameroon international Eric Djemba Djemba has revealed the last words of Marc-Vivien before he collapsed in their Fifa Confederations Cup semi-final game against Colombia.

In June 2003, Djemba Djemba was playing alongside Foe in the middle of the park for the Indomitable Lions when the former Manchester City and Lyon midfielder fell without contact from any player.

Efforts to revive Foe following the collapse proved futile as he was confirmed dead on arrival at the stadium’s medical centre, with an autopsy confirming hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as the cause of his death.

On their way to the Stade de Gerland, Djemba Djemba said the 28-year-old talked about death on the team bus on that fateful day and complained of fatigue during the match that ended 1-0 in favour of Cameroon.

“I will never forget what he said to us on the bus before we played,” the ex-Manchester United midfielder told SunSport.

“He said, ‘if someone needs to die today, we will die. We don’t need to lose that game because I promised to my wife and children we need to go to that final. I need to win the Confederations Cup.’

“I was the last person that talked to him. He said to me just before, ‘Eric, I am tired.’

“So I said to him, when the ball goes out, we’ll tell the coach, and he will substitute him.

“But he didn’t have one minute. The ball was in the air and he jumped up with Mario Yepes, who I played with at Nantes.

“I saw Foe fall down and then I saw Mario shouting, ‘Hey, hey, hey’. We walked over to him and we knew he was dead straight away.”

Djemba Djemba, 38, who is currently plying his trade in Swiss fifth division, admitted the tragic incident nearly made him quit football.

“I didn’t want to play again. Everyone was afraid to play the game. We won 1-0, and we needed to play the final,” he added.

“But we said we don’t want to play. We couldn’t sleep that night, everyone was crying. How could you go to play football and die?”

The sudden demise of Foe made Cameroon reluctant to play in the Confederations Cup final but efforts from ex-Fifa president Sepp Blatter, and Foe’s widow Marie-Louise, charged them to play the encounter which they lost 1-0 to France.

“He spoke to us and said he understood it was difficult, but added Fifa didn’t know what to do because we had got to the final,” he continued.

“Then Marc’s wife came to the hotel, and she said to us we need to play for him, for her and her children.

“So we went to play and we lost the game 1-0. Thierry Henry scored. But we weren’t in the right frame of mind.”

In paying tribute to the Indomitable Lions legend, France and Cameroon players held the Confederations Cup together while Foe was named the third-best player in the competition and was posthumously honoured.

Source: Goal.com

Cameroon is putting in place measures to ensure a perfect organisation of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN), Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said on Thursday.

“All the stakeholders and all the parties are strongly mobilised to make sure that we have a perfect organisation of CHAN in April and AFCON next year,” Kombi told reporters at the end of an evaluation meeting with Cameroon’s Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute.

“We are going to make some readjustments and be up to the level of the expectations of CAF (Confederation of African Football) in the few days. Telecommunications, water supply and production of tickets, all those aspects are going to be taken care of in a few days. We are doing small repairs and maintenance,” the minister added.

Ngute stressed during the meeting that all measures should be taken to ensure good security, hygiene and sanitation and lodging before and during the competitions.

CHAN is scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon from April 4 to 25.

The country is also expected to host AFCON in 2021 after losing hosting right in 2019 over “inadequate infrastructure and pressing insecurity concerns”, according to the CAF.

In January, a vising CAF delegation said there was “remarkable progress of work in the different construction sites” for the competitions.

Source: Xinhuanet

UEFA have outlined a plan to progress women’s football in Cameroon in an attempt to build on the ‘surreal passion’ for the sport in the country.

Former Dutch international Hesterine De Reus, who recently flew out to the African country as part of a Uefa-Assist, has called for radical changes to be made to their footballing set-up.

Despite reaching the last 16 of the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Reus insists Cameroon has a great deal more potential it can unlock.

She said: “We’ve (UEFA) analysed the situation and spoken with Fecafoot about the next steps.

“We’re going to help with coaching education, the youth league and talent development plan by providing technical support in all these areas.

“The passion for women’s football in Cameroon is surreal. Football is in the genes of Cameroonians and they play everywhere but I feel at youth level it has to be better organised.

“There are a lot of young talented players here but there is a need for more investment. If it is well organised, we can easily identify the young talented players and create more opportunities for them to further develop.

“Women’s football is developing very fast on an international level and if Cameroon have the ambition to continuously qualify for the world cup, we need to start building the structures.”

Source: News Chain.UK

Young Boys forward Jean-Pierre Nsame has said that he would be happy to play again for Cameroon.

The 26-year-old, who has two caps, hasn’t appeared for the five-time African champions since being dropped from their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad.

He’s subsequently declined call-ups to the national team, citing personal reasons.

This season, Nsame has been in mesmerizing form hitting a league-leading 16 goals in 18 outings as his Young Boys side top the Swiss top-tier.

“I took a decision based on what was happening, to sit out a few games but I’ll be glad to play again for Cameroon” Nsame told BBC Sport

“The national team is always on my mind but I needed this time off to focus on my club duties and my family which is a very important component of my life”

“The national team is very important and it means a lot to me to be able to play for the Indomitable Lions. There have been rumours about me and the national team but I felt the timing wasn’t right back then”

The former Angers striker has scored 22 goals this season and recently scooped the best player distinction in the Swiss championship as well as being named in the team of the year.

His ultimate goal this term is to fire Young Boys to a 14th league title and reward the clubs fans whom he thinks are the fuel to the side’s fire.

“We have very amazing fans who are firmly behind the club and who have the same objectives as the players do. It’ll be good if we can give them something to celebrate at the end of the season”

“My motivation is to help the team and my mates play at their best level. It’s not about me but the club and because we have the same ambitions it’s easy for us to produce good results”

“We have to maintain the same intensity and mentality during the second phase of the season to end the season on a high”

Nsame is aware that maintaining his form will heighten his chances at a return to the national team, just in time for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which will be the second time Cameroon has hosted the biggest tournament in African football since the 1972.

“Just like every Cameroonian footballer, there’s great excitement when I think that we’ll host the Afcon next year” Nsame added

“But I’m not letting this cloud my reflections because I have to stay focused to perform. Only my displays with Young Boys can get me a spot in the Afcon”

“When the time is right, I’ll think about the Afcon and if I’m granted the opportunity, my ambitions will be the same as that of the team”

Nsame’s performances for Young Boys have attracted interest from several European clubs.

“I hear of the transfer rumours but I’m not bothered by them. When the time will be right for a new adventure, I’ll talk about it with my family and we’ll decide”

“I’m a player of Young Boys and this is what is most important. We have some major goals and I’m keen on achieving those before thinking about anything else”

Source: BBC

The Indomitable Lions trainer and his staff are planning to help the Central African nation win their sixth African title

Cameroon boss Toni Conceicao has stated he and his staff are aiming to win the nation’s sixth Africa Cup of Nations title.

The Central African nation won the competition in 2017, but suffered an early exit in last year’s showpiece in Egypt, with rivals Nigeria defeating them 3-2 in the Round of 16.

Clarence Seedorf was sacked shortly after and was replaced by the Portuguese trainer in September.

Conceicao, motivated, has revealed how he’s working with his assistants to build a team capable of claiming the nation’s sixth Afcon.

“Our main goal is to win the Africa Cup of Nations at home,” the Portuguese coach told Cameroon Tribune [via Orange Football].

“We (he and his staff) do a lot of analysis and observation on a lot of players, both technically and on their personalities, we do not forget that aspect. All we want is the time to be able to convey our ideas collectively to our players.

“As you saw during the last fixtures (against Cape Verde and Rwanda), we still have a long way to go to implement certain ideas. When Afcon draws closer, I think that we will have transmitted these ideas to the team.

“We will try to work in the best possible way, in order to have this solid, strong and united team, capable of representing the country with dignity both at Afcon and at the World Cup.”

The Indomitable Lions have been drawn in Group D of the World Cup qualifiers, alongside Ivory Coast, Mozambique Malawi, and Conceicao asserted that only through hard work will they end top.

“It is a balanced and difficult group and we hope to be able to finish first. But hope is not enough, you have to work,” he admitted.

“Ivory Coast is a team with a strong tradition and which has the ambition to qualify for this World Cup, just like Cameroon. Mozambican football is booming. The fixtures with them (Mozambique) during the Afcon qualifiers will give us the necessary insight about them as an opponent.”

Given Cameroon didn’t participate at the World Cup in Russia, when asked if he feels additional pressure to take the Indomitable Lions to Qatar in 2022, Conceicao declared he understands the pressure but assured Cameroonians that the team will make them proud.

Source: Goal.com

The dad of the Reds centre-back met with the head of the sports ministry in Yaounde

Liverpool defender Joel Matip sent an autographed ball to Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi through his father, Jean.

Matip recently recovered from a knee injury that has kept him out of action since October and was an unused substitute as Jurgen Klopp’s men stretched their lead in the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday.

The 28-year-old has not played for the Indomitable Lions since he snubbed an invite to the country’s victorious campaign at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and his last international outing dates back to the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

In response to the gesture, Kombi congratulated Matip on his success with Liverpool last year when they won the Uefa Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and the Fifa World Club Cup.

“I received yesterday in audience, Mr. Jean Matip, father of international footballers Joel and Marvin Matip, who handed me a symbolic gift sent by his son Joel Matip, a ball autographed and signed by the player,” Kombi wrote on Facebook.

“In return, I addressed him my congratulations for his remarkable performances in his club, Liverpool FC with whom he became the 2019 European Champion.

“Finally, I also recalled him the love and hope all Cameroonians put on his son Joel Matip as an Indomitable Lion.”

Matip’s father, Jean was a former Cameroonian footballer and his elder brother Marvin also played for the Central African nation and made three international appearances despite playing for Germany’s youth teams in his early career.

As a reward for his fine defensive contributions, the Liverpool defender was named in the Caf Team of the Year for 2019 and Cameroon will be hoping he rescinds his retirement decision before hosting the continent for the 2021 Afcon, and as they battle Ivory Coast, Mozambique and Malawi in Group D of Africa’s qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Source: Goal.com

At the end of his visit last week to Yaoundé, Ahmad Ahmad, the president of the African Football Confederation (CAF) reassured the authorities that the 2021 African Cup of Nations will indeed take place in Cameroon. Unlike the previous edition which was staged from June to July 2019 in Egypt, the tournament in Cameroon will be held in January.

However, the issue of hosting the games is not what is troubling senior officials of the Biya regime but rather the venue where the final of this competition will take place.

Information filtered to Cameroon Concord News that, Ahmad Ahmad was very mindful of the delay in construction work at the Olembe stadium in Yaoundé and indicated that the final will be moved to Douala where the stadium built by the Turkish Yenigun is already completed.

Biya reportedly told Ahmad Ahmad that the proximity of the economic capital to the Southern Cameroons region headquartered in Buea makes it completely impossible for him to be at the final. Apart from security reasons, Paul Biya informed Ahmad Ahmad that he will not be participating in the final in Douala, a city noted for being hostile towards his government and it is serving as the capital of the Cameroonian opposition.

By Rita Akana

The ex-player will join up with the Indomitable Lions in Douala as they continue preparations for the forthcoming African Nations Championship

The Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) have confirmed the return of former Cameroon international and Africa Cup of Nations winner Timothee Atouba as team manager for the home-based side.

The Central African nation are getting set to host the 2020 African Nations Championship starting in April, but haven’t had anyone occupy the role since the technical team of Clement Arroga was selected.

Arroga and the team are currently in Douala, where preparations are progressing for the competition to be held from April 4 to 25.

Atouba will get together with the squad in Douala as they intensify plans for the 16-nation tournament.

The towering defender had a fairly successful playing career with the national team, winning Afcon 2000 after the Indomitable Lions defeated Nigeria on penalties.

He was also a finalist in 2008, only for the side to fall short with a slender 1-0 loss at the hands of Egypt.

The left-back featured in the 2003 Confederations Cup in France, where Winfried Schafer’s troops made it to the final before losing to the host nation at the last hurdle.

Atouba played in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur for a year from 2004 to 2005, but his major success at club level came with Swiss side Basel.

He enjoyed a couple of feats with FCB with success in the Super League and Swiss Cup between 2002 and 2004.

Atouba played 44 times for Cameroon having represented the national team for nearly a decade from 1999 to 2008.

His last appearance for the Indomitable Lions was a World Cup Qualifier against Cape Verde which the Central Africans won 2-1.

Source: Goal.com