Cameroon National Team Crisis: Sacked Coach Brys Names Rival AFCON Squad

Cameroonian football is experiencing unprecedented tension after sacked coach Marc Brys announced his own 28-player squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, despite a new coach being appointed and an official alternative squad released by the local federation.

The Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) announced the appointment of David Pagou as the new national team coach in early December, replacing Brys, who had severe disagreements with FECAFOOT President Samuel Eto'o. However, the Belgian coach, who remains under an official contract with the Ministry of Sports until September 30, 2026, insists he has not received any legal notice terminating his duties.

Pagou had announced an initial 28-player squad for the tournament in Morocco, notably excluding prominent names such as André Onana and Vincent Aboubakar, while calling up other players like Christian Kouamé and Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe.

In response to his dismissal, Brys published his own squad, which featured seven changes compared to Pagou's list. Most notably, Brys's squad included André Onana, Vincent Aboubakar, and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, in addition to players such as Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, Jackson Tchatchoua, Yvan Neyou, and Martin Hongla, according to "actucameroun" website.

The crisis between the involved parties has escalated at a time when the Cameroonian national team is preparing for continental competitions that require administrative and technical stability. Meanwhile, the Cameroonian sports community is in a state of anticipation amid conflicting technical leadership and the existence of two different squads at a sensitive moment.