Cameroon without its leaders at AFCON 2025?
by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga
The Eto'o and Brys’ Power Struggle Ends in Chaos
Cameroon’s AFCON 2025 campaign has taken a very wild turn following the sacking of head coach Marc Brys, just three weeks before the tournament. The Belgian was appointed by the sports ministry in April 2024, and from his first day on the job, his relationship with FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto'o never looked stable. Everyone knew they disagreed openly, but a fallout as public as this wasn't expected.
Brys picked up from where Rigobert Song left off, hoping to bring a breath of fresh air to the Cameroonian squad. Instead, his regime became a running battle between the federation and the ministry. FECAFOOT accused him of ignoring protocol and avoiding responsibilities. Brys fired back and accused Eto'o of poor leadership and of surrounding himself with people who were only loyal to the former Barcelona star, and not ready for the roles they were given.
Speaking to Belgian outlets after the announcement, Brys called the move an illegal and ridiculous coup. He claimed the federation pushed out experienced staff at the worst possible moment, adding that no serious football nation would do so just weeks before a major tournament. How this chaos affects the Indomitable Lions and the Group F picture is something many fans are still trying to wrap their heads around. Check out SportyTrader’s latest AFCON 2025 predictions and betting tips for more insights.
The situation got worse after Cameroon failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. They lost their direct spot to Cabo Verde and then crashed out of the playoff after losing to DR Congo. For a country with five AFCON titles, missing back-to-back World Cups was a major blow, especially for the former coach, who was already in the ministry’s bad books.
David Pagou Inherits a Crisis: Can He Sail Smoothly?
David Pagou has now been handed the messy job of sailing the Cameroon ship in rocky waters. Pagou, who previously coached PWD Bamenda and Coton Sport, has less than three weeks to pull a shaken squad together. It is the kind of job no coach wants. There's too little time, too much noise, and way too many unanswered questions.
Even the squad list has sparked confusion. André Onana and Vincent Aboubakar, two leaders in the Cameroon dressing room, are both missing from the squad list. Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is also out, but due to a hamstring injury.
The problem is that nobody can clearly say who made these decisions. Was it Brys before he left? Was it Pagou stepping in quickly? Or did FECAFOOT take charge of the list entirely? The silence around it has only worsened things.
Cameroon’s Group F Fate
It's almost ironic that a shaky Cameroon side will face the reigning champions, the Ivory Coast, along with Gabon and Mozambique in Group F. Their opener against Gabon is on December 24, which gives Pagou almost no time to build a plan or repair the atmosphere around the team.
The Indomitable Lions, who won the 2017, should have been entering this tournament calm and confident. Instead, the controversy-ridden team travels to Morocco with a new coach and without key dressing room figures.
For Pagou, the task at hand is far beyond setting up a tactical shape. He must address players who felt ignored during the Brys era, figure out who is mentally ready to compete, and rebuild trust in a matter of days.
The good news is he still has a very talented squad to work with. Manchester United's new star man, Bryan Mbeumo, and Carlos Baleba from Brighton still bring immense quality. But talent alone will not carry Cameroon through this group. Their biggest problem is the lack of cohesion, and solving that in such a short window feels like the biggest task in African football right now.
