Why Andre Onana Paid Price for Cameroon's Bitter Power Struggle Ahead of AFCON 2025

Andre Onana has been left out of Cameroon's squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco.

The Manchester United goalkeeper, currently on loan at Turkish side Trabzonspor, is the most high-profile casualty in a squad announcement that follows the dramatic sacking of head coach Marc Brys amid allegations of "subterfuge" and professional misconduct.

The decision to omit Onana comes just days after Samuel Eto'o was re-elected as president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot).

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In a move that has sent shockwaves through African football, Eto'o and his executive committee dismissed Brys, levelling a litany of serious accusations against the Belgian. 

Brys, who was appointed by the country’s sports ministry in April 2024, has been replaced by David Pagou, an experienced local coach. However, Pagou’s first act—naming a 28-man squad without Onana, captain Vincent Aboubakar, or defender Michael Ngadeu—has only deepened the sense of crisis.

"It's difficult to see how a new manager will be able to put together a playing system, create an avenue where the players can express themselves fluently on the pitch and play as a unit," Cameroonian analyst Njie Enow told BBC Sport Africa.

The dismissal of Brys was accompanied by a blistering statement from Fecafoot. The federation accused the 63-year-old of "professional failure," claiming he was "inciting" players to defy the federation's authority.

Furthermore, Brys was alleged to be in "active collaboration with unknown individuals within Fecafoot" and was criticized for refusing to disclose training programs. Perhaps most damaging was the claim that he used "subterfuge to evade his professional obligation to hold press conferences."

While the administrative chaos provides the backdrop, the specific reasons for Onana's exclusion appear to be a mix of form and friction. The 29-year-old’s omission is perhaps not a complete surprise given his turbulent recent history. 

His form at Manchester United was inconsistent before he was loaned to Trabzonspor in September to regain confidence. Although the loan move allowed him to reclaim the number one spot under Brys, starting the recent defeat to DR Congo, the new regime has opted for a complete reset.

With Brys gone, there is simply no place for Onana in a squad that oddly contains four other goalkeepers. His relationship with the national team has been fraught with controversy; he was sent home early from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after a dispute with then-coach Rigobert Song. 

He also lost his starting place during the 2023 Afcon after arriving late to the tournament to play an extra club game, only to return for a 3-1 defeat by Senegal where he was arguably at fault for the opening goal.

Onana is not the only big name missing from the plane to Morocco. The Indomitable Lions will also be without the services of captain Vincent Aboubakar and Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

 While Anguissa’s absence is attributed to a hamstring injury he is recovering from, no official reasons were provided for the omissions of Aboubakar or Ngadeu.

The new-look squad, which includes Onana’s Manchester United teammate Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, faces a daunting task.