Turmoil on the Eve of AFCON: Cameroon Names Two Squads Amid Eto’o-Brys Power Struggle
A bitter feud between Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) President Samuel Eto’o and national team coach Marc Brys has thrown the Indomitable Lions into chaos just days before the Africa Cup of Nations, resulting in the unprecedented release of two separate squad lists.
The crisis erupted after Eto’o informed Belgian coach Marc Brys—who is under contract until 2026—that his role was over. Despite this dismissal, Brys has refused to step aside, arguing the legality of his position.
The schism became public on December 1st, when Eto’o’s faction at FECAFOOT published an official 28-man squad for the tournament in Morocco. This list, released without Brys’s approval, appointed David Pagou as head coach and shockingly omitted some of the team’s biggest stars. Goalkeeper Andre Onana of Manchester United, forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Bayern Munich, and team captain Vincent Aboubakar were all excluded.
Reports from within Cameroon suggest the omission of Aboubakar is particularly charged, with sources indicating the prolific striker was dropped to prevent him from surpassing Samuel Eto’o’s all-time national team scoring record. Aboubakar is currently just two goals shy of Eto’o’s historic tally.
In a stunning act of defiance, Marc Brys responded by naming his own, contradictory squad. His selection reinstated the omitted stars—Onana, Choupo-Moting, and Aboubakar—directly challenging the federation’s authority. Brys publicly questioned the logic of the federation’s list, asking how Cameroon could be expected to compete at the highest level without its key players.
“How do you go to a competition like the Africa Cup of Nations without your best players?” Brys was quoted as saying, highlighting the absurdity of the situation.
The standoff has created an administrative and sporting nightmare for the five-time African champions. With the tournament set to begin imminently, it remains unclear which squad will be submitted to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and which coach will be on the touchline.
The power struggle exposes deep divisions within Cameroonian football’s hierarchy, pitting the legendary influence of President Eto’o against the contractual legitimacy of the appointed coach. As the clock ticks down to their opening match, the Indomitable Lions are left in limbo, their AFCON campaign threatened not by opponents on the pitch, but by a war of attrition off it.
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