Cameroon names two different AFCON squads in coaching feud
Cameroon’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) have plunged into chaos after the national football team ended up with two different squad lists following a bitter dispute between the Cameroon Football Federation president and the team’s manager. The conflict centres on manager Marc Brys, who has refused to accept his dismissal despite being officially sacked by federation president Samuel Eto’o, leading both men to name separate teams for the tournament.
The crisis escalated when Eto’o, now in his fourth year as head of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), announced that Brys had been relieved of his duties and appointed David Pagou as the new head coach. FECAFOOT then released an official 28-man squad under Pagou’s leadership, which notably excluded stars such as goalkeeper André Onana, veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar, and midfielder Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
In response, Brys has publicly rejected his sacking and insisted he remains the legitimate coach until he receives a formal termination notice from the Cameroonian Presidency. Citing his contract with the Ministry of Sports, he released his own rival squad list that reinstates previously omitted key players, including Onana, Aboubakar, and European-based midfielder Carlos Baleba. Brys has criticised Eto’o personally, calling him “narcissistic” and saying that leaving out top players would weaken the team’s chances at AFCON.
The power struggle has created unprecedented uncertainty within Cameroon’s football leadership and cast doubt over which squad will represent the country when AFCON begins later this month in Morocco. With the squad submission deadline looming, fans and officials are left waiting to see whether the Federation, CAF, or government will resolve the dispute before the tournament kicks off.
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