Young Indomitable Lions bring renewed hope to Cameroon after federation turmoil

Cameroon was eliminated by Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals, but a young squad led by Christian Kofane and Carlos Baleba earned praise after a pre-tournament coaching dispute that saw FECAFOOT fire Marc Brys and appoint David Pagou.

Cameroon was eliminated by Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in Rabat, but the team’s performance drew public praise after a turbulent build-up. The federation, FECAFOOT, fired coach Marc Brys less than three weeks before the tournament, while Brys had been appointed by the sports ministry in April 2024 and disputed his dismissal. FECAFOOT named David Pagou as Brys’ successor and Pagou led a largely youthful squad that advanced through the group stage and a last-16 win. Samuel Eto'o, FECAFOOT president, spoke to the players after the match and commended them for restoring pride amid the earlier turmoil. Key facts: - Cameroon lost to Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in Rabat before a large home crowd for Morocco. - FECAFOOT fired Marc Brys shortly before the tournament; Brys had been appointed by the sports ministry and reportedly named a squad including Vincent Aboubakar and André Onana, which he contested after his dismissal. - David Pagou was appointed by FECAFOOT as Brys’ successor and named a different squad that omitted some players on Brys’ list. - Young players such as 19-year-old forward Christian Kofane and 22-year-old midfielder Carlos Baleba were prominent contributors during the tournament. - Cameroon began the competition with a win over Gabon, drew with Ivory Coast, then recorded wins over Mozambique and South Africa in the last 16 before the quarterfinal exit. - Right back Junior Tchamadeu left the quarterfinal match with what appeared to be a serious knee injury after a duel with Noussair Mazraoui, and coach Pagou noted he had less than a month to prepare the team, having started on Dec. 16. Summary: Cameroon’s young squad revived public pride despite the quarterfinal defeat, and officials and the coach highlighted positive signs from the short preparation period. The federation has said its immediate priorities include qualifying for the next Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and pursuing qualification for the 2030 World Cup.