Celtic star Olivier Ntcham’s saga with his national teams has been well documented, now he says he rejected Cameroon’s offer.

Olivier Ntcham has the opportunity to play for two national squads: France and Cameroon. Until now, the midfielder has exclusively played for the French national team. Just a few days ago, The Celtic Bhoys pointed out that Olivier Ntcham was mysteriously left off of either country’s U-21 squads.

The reason for the snub has now been revealed. As Celts Are Here has pointed out, a player with multiple nationalities has the opportunity to switch allegiances until they have reached a senior team with one country in particular.

This is the case for Olivier Ntcham, as he has played for France his entire career, but now Cameroon looks like the option Olivier Ntcham would like to pursue, except that he didn’t this time around.

Speaking to the Celtic View, a Celtic magazine publication, and transcribed by Celts Are Here, this is what the Lazio hero had to say about the national team status:

“The Cameroon manager approached me last year about it we talked and I told him my targets.

“We spoke again recently when I was preparing for the Europa League games but I told him international football was not my priority right now because I had to make sure I got back in the Celtic team first.

“Once I do that, then I can think about football. My parents are both from Cameroon but I’ve never been there myself. I think my parents would be happier if I played with France.”

You love to hear that from a blooming star, the fact that he wants to put his own club ahead of his personal international pursuits is huge. Also something of interesting note, is that it sounds like he still wants to play for France, and so does his parents.

While that would be a huge blow for the Cameroonian squad, the level of development he could get with the French squad would go a long way in his pursuit of club goals. A great example of this is current teammate Odsonne Edouard who is excelling with the French U-21 squad.

Source: The Celticbhoys

Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) on Wednesday sacked the head coach of its national U-17 football team, Thomas Libiih for the team’s poor performance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup that is underway in Brazil.

“Following the premature exit of the U-17 male national football team of Cameroon from the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the Cameroon Football Federation puts an end to thefunctions of coach Thomas Libiih and that of the entire technical, administrative, and medical staff,” the federation’s president, Seidou Mbombo Njoya said in a statement released Wednesday evening.

Njoya also said, Libiih and his staff had refused to sign the code of conduct of the national football team.

Cameroon were knocked out of the championship in the first round after losing all their three group matches, scoring one and conceding six goals.

Libiih qualified Cameroon for the FIFA U-17 World Cup after winning the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations following a 5-3 win against Guinea on penalties during the final in Dar es Salaam, Tanzanian in April.

Cameroon’s last participation at the FIFA U-17 World Cup was in 2003.

Source: Xinhuanet

After over a year out of the national team, the forward has been recalled for the Indomitable Lions’ crucial fixtures scheduled for next week

Porto striker Vincent Aboubakar has been selected for Cameroon’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Cape Verde and Rwanda.

Although he is yet to play for Porto this season, Aboubakar has fought his way back to good shape after going under the knife for an anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered in September 2018.

The injury ruled the 27-year-old out of Afcon 2019 in Egypt but he is now set to make his first appearance for the Indomitable Lions since March 2018.

Also included in Antonio Conceicao’s 21-man squad is China-based Christian Bassogog, Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, PSG star Eric Choupo-Moting while Angers talisman Stephane Bahoken and Dynamo Moscow’s Clinton Njie are on the waiting list.

Cameroon will host Cape Verde on November 13 before travelling to Rwanda for their second Group F fixture.

Full Squad

Goalkeepers: Andre Onana (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Fabrice Ondoa (KV Ostende, Belgium), Haschou Kerrido (CK Kamsar, Guinea)

Defenders: Jean Charles Castelleto (Brest, France), Fai Collins Ngoran (Standard Liege, Belgium), Michael Ngadeu (Gent, Belgium), Ambroise Oyongo (Montpellier, France), Jerome Onguene (RB Salzburg, Austria), Dawa Joyskim (Mariupol, Ukraine).

Midfielders: Pierre Kunde Malong (Mainz, Germany), Djoum Arnaud (Al Raed, Saudi Arabia),Bombock Franck (Maritimo, Portugal), Andre Franck Zambo Anguissa (Villarreal, Spain), Olinga Fabrice (Royal Mouscron, Belgium).

Forwards: Karl Toko Ekambi (Villarreal, Spain), Aboubakar Vincent (FC Porto, Portugal), Moumie Ngamaleu (Young Boys, Switzerland), Jean Pierre Nsame (Young Boys, Switzerland), Didier Lamkel Ze (Royal Antwerp, Belgium), Ganago Ignatius (Nice, France), Christian Bassogog (Hernan Jianye, China), Eric Choupo-Moting (PSG, France).

Waiting List

Harold Moukoudi (Saint-Etienne, France), Olivier Ntcham (Celtic, Scotland), Jeando Fuchs (Maccabi Haifa, Israel), Clinton Njie (Dynamo Moscow, Russia), Stephane Bahoken (Angers, France).

Source: Goal.com

Samuel Eto’o is up there with George Weah as an African great on the football field, but he says he has no plans to follow the Liberian into politics “for the moment”.

“Everyone wants me to go into politics, but there won’t be 10 million Weahs,” Eto’o said in an exclusive interview with AFP.

Weah, the only African player to win the Ballon d’Or, became president of Liberia in January 2018.

“Everyone is born with their own star. Everyone at some point gets involved in politics at their own level, but, for the moment, it doesn’t interest me.”

The 38-year-old Cameroon legend recently brought the curtain down on a glittering playing career during which he won the UEFA Champions League twice with Barcelona and once more with Inter Milan.

An idol in his homeland, Eto’o gave his backing to Paul Biya — who has ruled the country for 37 years — before his re-election in 2018.

Biya is 86 and is dealing with a major crisis in Cameroon as a two-year secession drive by anglophone separatists has claimed thousands of lives.

Main opposition leader Maurice Kamto walked free from jail earlier this month after a military court ordered his release at Biya’s behest.

Of his supposed political ambitions, Eto’o added: “A lot of people might be saying that it’s an idea I have, but I say to them it doesn’t exist in my mind at the moment.

“But every citizen has the right. If you want to stand, nobody is going to stop you. But in our country it is as though it is something reserved for certain people. Personally it is not an objective.”

The two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner says he wants to move into coaching, although he has also taken a role with the Confederation of African Football.

“My role is to lobby the different federations to convince them to adhere to the work being done by president (Ahmad) Ahmad,” he said.

Source: AFP

The 25-year-old returned to the field on Sunday after battling a heart condition that ruled him out of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

Cameroon forward Joel Tagueu has described his return to football as a victory after recovering from a heart ailment.

The Cruzeiro attacker made his first appearance in over five months as a 77th-minute substitute in his side’s 2-1 victory over Corinthians in the Brazilian top-flight on Sunday.

Tagueu was dropped from Cameroon’s squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, a day before their campaign opener against Guinea-Bissau due to an “anomaly of an implantation of a coronary artery”.

His exclusion reduced the Indomitable Lions squad to 22 players as the country crashed out in the Round of 16 stage of the continental showpiece in Egypt.

Following his recovery from the battle against the heart problem, Tagueu described his return as a dream come true after various medical consultations.

“It’s been a very difficult moment for me. I’ve had to wait for a month to get a final decision on my situation,” Tagueu in his first public comments, per BBC Sport.

“I’ve had to consult several cardiologists across Brazil to get different opinions and I’ve been working with the best cardiologists in the country and I’m glad that everything went on well.

“Being able to play again is a victory and being able to suit up for my team is just like a dream come true.”

The 25-year-old spent last season on loan with Maritimo where he returned eight goals after 30 matches in Brazil’s Serie A.

Tagueu recalled his reaction to his omission from Cameroon’s 2019 Afcon squad and revealed how Nigeria’s Nwankwo Kanu and France’s Eric Abidal inspired his fight against the heart condition.

“I was shocked when I was dropped from the Cameroon squad for the Afcon in Egypt. But I was less anxious because the doctors were calm and said it was curable,” he added.

“But other players in the past like Kanu or Abidal have undergone surgery for other health issues and have continued playing so I’m not worried.”

Meanwhile, Cruzeiro team doctor Sergio Campolina said the club recalled the Nkongsamba-born forward because he is back in top shape after approval from two of Brazil’s most renowned cardiology institutions.

“The medical protocol with the Cameroon team is different and because recently they lost a player due to heart related complications, they decided to drop Joel,” Campolina said.

“We have assurances about Joel’s health so we’ve decided to recall him to the team and we’re happy with this decision.”

Source: Goal.com

Cameroon prospect Etienne Eto’o Pineda has explained why he will reject the advances of Spain despite being snubbed from the U17 World Cup squad.

The son of four-time African Footballer of the Year, Samuel, was omitted from the final squad that kicks off in Brazil this week due to a decree signed by the Cameroon President Paul Biya in September 2014.

It was agreed that the national U15 and U17 teams would be reserved for domestic-based talent only, which saw Eto’o and five European-based teammates in the camp sent back to their respective clubs.

While the Real Mallorca U17 captain failed to be included in Thomas Libiih’s final squad, he still made his intentions clear about where he international allegiance lies, in an interview with Kick442.

“I decided to come and represent the Under 17 Lions of Cameroon, I can’t lie to you Spain is also my country but Cameroon I really feel Cameroonian,” Eto’o said.

“My father achieved a lot with Cameroon and I will like to emulate or try to match his achievements with my country Cameroon.

“Yes, it is very difficult to handle this situation [being omitted] but I am very excited to be back with the U20, U23 and why not the senior team one day if God wants.

“The qualifiers of the U20 AFCON is the next possible event for me, I am very excited to play for Cameroon, though Spain is my country, for now, Cameroon is my choice.”

His father Samuel won two Africa Cup of Nations titles and is the all-time leading scorer with 56 goals 118 caps for the Indomitable Lions.

Source: Kickoff.com

Etienne Eto’o, the son of African football legend Samuel Eto’o, will not play at this year’s U-17 World Cup in Brazil after he was left out of Cameroon coach Thomas Libiih’s final 21-man squad.

Eto’o, along with Roma forward Barel Fotso, are in a group of Europe-based players who have not made the squad.

Eto’o, who is on the books of Spanish giants Mallorca, joined the reigning African champions for a training camp in Brasilia and scored in a friendly against local side Brasilians FC.

A decree signed by Cameroon’s President Paul Biya in September 2014 said that the country’s U-15 and U-17 teams should be reserved solely for players in domestic championships.

Cameroon coach Thomas Libiih had previously expressed concerns over the eligibility of foreign-based players for the U-17 World Cup in a letter to Fecafoot’s President Seidou Mbombo Njoya.

Libiih, a former Cameroon international who featured in the 1990 World Cup, has also left out five players from his 2019 Nations Cup winning squad.

The list is headlined by midfielder Steve Mvoue who captained Cameroon to their second continental title in April, eventually being crowned the tournament’s most valuable player.

In their second World Cup, the Cameroonians are pitted against Argentina, Spain and Tajikistan in Group E in Brazil.

During their first appearance at the U-17 World Cup in 2003 in Finland, Cameroon bowed out of the tournament at the first hurdle undefeated, playing an exciting 5-5 tie with Portugal in their last group game.

Senegal, Nigeria and Angola will also represent Africa at the 2019 global event in Brazil which runs from 26 October to 17 November.

Cameroon Squad:

Goalkeepers: Ekoi Manfred Mekumba(Best Stars Academy),Tiwa Yvan Lafont (Fondation Tafi),Beubap Mbiadjeu Jacques Bruno (EFBC)

Defenders: Nang Toni (AS Ngueng), Bere Laoumbo François (Oyili FC), Ndzie Mezama Fabrice (Fondation Tafi), Ze Essono Severn (Academy Ahala),Ngatchou Kamtchouang Ricky (AS Fortuna), Aoudou Moussa (Real Academy New Bell), Ngolna PATRICE (AS Milet)

Midfielders: Mvoue Steve Regis (Azur Star), Ben Hamed Ndongo (Dauphine Fc), Dibongue Kingue Gael (AS Milet), Medou Bella Marc Franck (APEJES Mfou), Daouda Amadou (Oyili FC),Onana Etoga Cyril Loic (Academy Hala)

Forwards: Yannick Noah (Sahel FC), Ismaila Seidou (International), Wamba Djuffo Leonel (AS Menoua), Nongoh Samuel Bakia (Dauphine of Douala), Eba Tchecegna Arnold Adrien

Source: BBC