Cameroon's AFCON Dreams Crumble as Andre Onana Faces Another Devastating Blow Amid Team Turmoil
André Onana faces another blow after being unexpectedly excluded from Cameroon's roster for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco.
The shot-stopper, sidelined by Manchester United and struggling to find his rhythm during the initial period of his loan spell with Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor, joins several other prominent players who weren't chosen for the competition starting December 21.
Cameroon skipper Vincent Aboubakar was also excluded, alongside seasoned players Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting and Michael Ngadeu. Napoli's André-Frank Zambo Anguissa represents another notable absence, though the midfielder has been dealing with a hamstring problem recently. Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba both earned selection.
Though Onana's extended poor club performances could certainly play a role, this occurs as the Cameroon football federation (Fecafoot) enters further turmoil. Coach Marc Brys was fired on Monday following national legend Samuel Eto'o's reelection as Fecafoot president.
Brys received his appointment from Cameroon's sports ministry without Eto'o's approval in 2024, a move the former Barcelona, Inter and Chelsea forward attempted to overturn. The ministry had previously resisted Eto'o's dismissal of Toni Conceição in 2021 following a third-place showing at a domestic AFCON.
Fecafoot and the administration were believed to have reached consensus on selecting Rigobert Song to guide Cameroon at the 2022 World Cup, but apparently disagreed again when Brys was picked as the former defender's replacement.
During Brys's tenure, Cameroon missed qualification for the 2026 World Cup after suffering an African playoff defeat to first-time qualifiers DR Congo last month. Onana featured in that surprising 1–0 loss, along with Ngadeu, Aboubakar and Wolves defender Jackson Tchatchoua, who also won't participate in AFCON.
Onana's Cameroon Record
Born close to the capital Yaoundé, Onana has earned 53 caps for his nation since making his debut at age 20 in 2016. He secured the number one position in 2018 but saw his career interrupted by a doping ban in 2021 following a positive test in previous months, preventing his participation in that year's AFCON.
Onana regained his position when the suspension concluded and attended the 2022 World Cup as first-choice keeper, but was benched after the opening match and sent home due to a dispute with Song.
The goalkeeper remained absent for nearly twelve months and was inconsistently selected until re-establishing himself in late 2024, perfectly aligning with Brys's appointment. He even wore the captain's armband for Cameroon in the DR Congo playoff. However, with Brys's departure and authority seemingly returning to Eto'o and Fecafoot in the ongoing political struggle, Onana finds himself out once more.
Onana's Swift Decline
Just over two years ago, Onana, having been instrumental in Inter's journey to the 2023 Champions League final, placed sixth for the Yashin Trophy that season and achieved a commendable 23rd position in the overall Ballon d'Or rankings—essentially regarded as among the world's elite players across all positions, not exclusively goalkeepers.
Erik ten Hag, Onana's previous manager at Ajax, was so determined to reunite with him at Manchester United that the club eventually released long-term servant David de Gea. The expectation was that the new keeper would transform United's entire playing philosophy.
The outcome proved different, with Onana's performances being erratic and his notable mistakes usually attracting more attention than his game-changing displays.
Sidelined during preseason due to injury before 2025–26, Onana's reported demand for an improved contract to compensate for reduced wages related to missing European qualification created a negative impression and, even after recovering, found himself relegated to the bench behind Altay Bayındır.
His Manchester future was determined when Senne Lammens arrived from Royal Antwerp, with Onana securing a loan move to Trabzonspor shortly afterward before the Turkish transfer deadline.