AFCON 2025: Cameroon's Coaching Crisis Deepens as Eto'o Clashes with Brys

Samuel Eto'o accused of axing Aboubakar to protect goal record

Cameroon football in disarray as coach Marc Brys and FA president Samuel Eto'o name rival AFCON squads. Eto'o accused of dropping Aboubakar from squad to remain Cameroon's top scorer.

“It’s unbelievable, but actually, it doesn’t surprise me. It’s coming from someone who is narcissistic and thinks he’s the best...”

Marc Brys was appointed as the coach by Cameroon's Ministry of Sport, not the country's Football Association (FA). He claims that only the ministry has the authority to dismiss him, and since they haven't done so, he's insisting he's still the Cameroon coach. Brys made this clear in an interview with TV5 Monde, emphasizing his confidence in still being in charge.

“As long as there is no signed note from the Presidency of the Republic appointing David Pagou as the coach of the Indomitable Lions, in the eyes of the State of Cameroon, Mr. Marc Brys remains,” he said. “This is not up for discussion, and it has been this way in Cameroon for at least 30 years.”

As a result, he's gone ahead and submitted his own AFCON squad list to the Ministry of Sport, which includes both Onana and Aboubakar.

“It's always been Eto'o's goal to get me out as quickly as possible,” he told VTM Nieuws. “From the very first minute, he insulted me, and I reacted. I was too much of a competitor for him.”

“Eto'o had left key players and leaders out of the squad. Because, of course, he had made that selection. How can you go to the Africa Cup of Nations without a world-class goalkeeper? Or without Aboubakar?”

“It’s unbelievable, but actually, it doesn’t surprise me. It’s coming from someone who is narcissistic and thinks he’s the best.”

Eto'o has a history of clashing with Onana, and insiders claim he deliberately left Aboubakar out of the squad to protect his record as Cameroon's top scorer. Eto'o has 56 goals, while Aboubakar has 45.

🚨 Samuel Eto'o is accused of dropping striker Vincent Aboubakar from Cameroon’s Afcon squad to stop him from breaking Eto’o’s scoring record, as per The Sun.

· According to reports, Eto’o, now president of the Cameroonian federation, allegedly influenced the decision to omit… pic.twitter.com/hKh6jJQJhg

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) December 11, 2025

The crisis has sparked talks between government officials and FA reps, but with less than two weeks to go before Cameroon's AFCON opener against Gabon, it's still unclear who's coaching and who's playing.

Cameroon is experiencing a major crisis ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, with coach Marc Brys and the Samuel Eto'o-led Football Association (FA) naming two different squads. The controversy began when Eto'o announced Brys' replacement with David Pagou, excluding key players like Andre Onana and Vincent Aboubakar from the squad.

Eto'o, who has 56 goals, is accused of dropping Aboubakar, who has 45 goals, to protect his record as Cameroon's top scorer. Brys, who was appointed by the Ministry of Sport, claims he's still the coach and has submitted his own squad, including Onana and Aboubakar. The power struggle has left fans and players uncertain, with the AFCON just days away.