Days to AFCON: FECAFOOT sets Lions den ablaze!.

This was during a press conference at the headquarters of FECAFOOT.  

According to Nkoussa, the fate of the 63-year-old Belgian tactician was sealed following a decision by the FECAFOOT Emergency Committee.

Brys, it was said, during the presser, was relieved of his duties for several reasons including lack of professionalism, organisation of unauthorized press conference, insubordination, and failure to qualify the team for the newly expanded FIFA World Cup next month.

Brys was appointed head coach of the Indomitable Lions in April 2024. He was appointed by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, MINSEP replacing Rigobert Song.

FECAFOOT in a statement said the decision was “taken unilaterally” and described the appointment of Brys by the sports ministry as a “regrettable situation”.

FECAFOOT president, Samuel Eto’o, who was recently re-elected at the helm of the FA body on Saturday November 29 for a new four-year-mandate, has been at loggerheads with Brys and the sports minister.

Brys qualified Cameroon for the 2025 AFCON, a tournament he will now miss. 

He got off to an impressive start with a 4-1 win over Cape Verde in his first match and made history by reaching a 13-match unbeaten run.

Brys suffered only two defeats to Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.

His record with the national team also includes nine wins and six draws.

 Lions den boils again

According to experts, the decision of FECAFOOT to sack Brys could further deteriorate the situation in the den.

At press time, the sports minister, Prof Narcisse Mouelle Kombi had not made any statement.

There are fears that the sports boss, like Eto’o, could proceed to the appointment of another technical staff of the national team.

Fans are also worried about the team’s chances at the AFCON.

Pagou takes over command

The FECAFOOT Executive Committee also resolved to appoint David Pagou as the new head coach of the Indomitable Lions.

Before his appointment, Pagou, had served as deputy head coach under Brys.

The gaffer, who led North West Region football club, PWD of Bamenda to their maiden league title in 2020, will lead the Central African nation to the AFCON in Morocco.

The continent’s most prestigious tournament is scheduled to run from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

Pagou shoulders great expectations. He is tasked with guiding the team to their sixth continental crown. The last time the team lifted the trophy was in 2017.

It should be noted that Pagou was appointed alongside a new team of technical, administrative and medical staff of the national team.

Onana, Aboubakar…dropped

Shortly after the confirmation of his appointment as new lead trainer, David Pagou, named his squad for the forthcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

The trainer in his 28-man list snubbed several key players. Top among them is goalkeeper, Andre Onana, defenders, Jackson Tchatchoua and Michael Ngadeu Ngadjui, midfielder, Martin Hongla and forwards, Vincent Aboubakar, Choupo Moting and Moumi Ngamaleu.

The development came as a great shock to many Cameroonians owing mainly to the fact that the sidelined stars have been some of Cameroon’s finest performers over the last years.

Vincent Aboubakar who now plies his trade in Azerbaijan, is Cameroon’s second highest goal scorers of all-time the former FC Porto attacker having scored some 48 goals since he made his debut for the team in 2010. 

The 33-year-old won the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, secured the golden boot of the 2021 edition of the continental competition and represented Cameroon at the 2010, 2014 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments in South Africa, Brazil and Qatar respectively.

The forward was expected to lead Cameroon’s attack experience-wise in the forthcoming 2025 AFCON.

Ngadeu won the 2017 AFCON. The Chinese Super League star has been one of the most consistent players within the Indomitable Lions den in the last close to 10 years although he was controversially snubbed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Beijing Guoan man was expected to be Cameroon’s main defensive figure heading to the 2025 AFCON owing to his rich experience and the stability that he has proven to provide within the Lions’ backline. 

Manchester United on-loan goalkeeper, Andre Onana was tipped as the undisputed first choice goalkeeper for the Indomitable Lions heading to the Morocco 2025 continental showpiece which begins on December 2025.

The goalkeeper’s exclusion from the list of selected players is seen by many Cameroonians as the most shocking of all.

His exclusion for the forthcoming event marks the fourth time that the 29-year-old is involved in controversies ahead of a major tournament.

The former Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper missed out on the 2017 AFCON tournament in Gabon after boycotting the event as part of a group of some seven players who controversially asked to be sidelined from the event due to their disagreements with authorities who were running football in Cameroon at the time.

He abruptly left Cameroon’s camp at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and was controversially benched during the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire early last year.

The exclusion of the group of players has been blamed on the ongoing cold war between FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and other internal wranglings affecting Cameroonian football.

Enter full list 

The full list of players selected is made up of three newcomers; defender Gerzino Nyamsi, midfielder Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe and Bayer Leverkusen in-form attacker, Christian Kofane.

The list consists of four goalkeepers, nine defenders, 11 midfielders and four attackers. 

The goalkeeping lineup is led by Dinamo Bucuresti’s Devis Epassy, Simon Omossola of Saint Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic of Congo, Simon Ngapandouetnbu who plies his trade for Montpellier in the French Ligue 1 and Edouard Sombang of Colombe Sportive of Dja and Lobo. Sombang is the lone home-based player on the list.

Defenders 

Qatar-based star defender, Jean Charles Castelleto, headlines the list of defenders where he has been selected alongside Stoke City Football Club’s Junior Baptiste Tchamadeu, Nouhou Tolo of Seattle Storm, Lorient Football Club’s Darlin Yongwa and Gerzino Nyamsi of Lokomotive Moscow from the Russian Premier League.

The list is completed by Rennes’ Mahamadou Nagida, Junior Samuel Kotto and Osasuna center-back, Flavien Boyomo. 

Midfielders 

Manchester United star, Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba lead the list of midfielders where they are accompanied by Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe of Brest in the French Ligue 1, Istanbul Basaksehir’s Oliver Kemen and Martin Atemengue Ndzie who plays for Rapid Wien in the Austrian Premier League.

Other players summoned for midfield duties include Saudi Arabia-based pair, Christian Bassogog and Georges Kevin-Nkoudou, Lorient FC’ Arthur Avom, Danny Namaso of Auxerre in the French Ligue 1, Fidel Brice Ambina of Valerenga in the Norwegian first division championship and Jean Onana from Genoa in the Serie A.

Forwards

Frank Magri who represented Cameroon at the 2023 AFCON last year is the lone attacker with tournament experience in the list of attackers called up.

The Toulouse Football Club man anchors a team that also consists of Levante Football Club star, Karl Etta Eyong who made his debut for Cameroon against the Mauritius Island last October, and the pair of Christian Kofane and Serge Patrick Soko from Bayer Leverkusen and UD Almeria respectively.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3643 of Tuesday December 02, 2025