Cameroon’s national football coach, Rigobert Song, on Wednesday in Yaoundé announced a 26-man squad for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup finals.
Song has put faith in most of the players who represented the country at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations – where they finished third.
However, Song has decided to drop some big names ahead of the Mundial with Gent’s Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, St Etienne’s Harold Moukoudi and Bordeaux’s Jean Onana headlining the absentees for Qatar.
The surprise name on the list is teenage goalkeeper Simon Ngapandouetnbu, who is on the books of Olympique de Marseille but yet to play a senior match.
Aris Solanika’s defender Nicolas Nkoulou has also been named in the squad, having came back to the squad in September after a five-year absence.
The 32-year-old had announced retirement from international football in 2017, but later reversed the decision, and now he will be featuring in the World Cup for the third time.
Cameroon are making a comeback to the global competition having last featured in Brazil where they crashed out in the group stage after finishing at the base of Group A which boasted Brazil, Mexico and Croatia.
Since their debut in Spain 1982, the five-time African kings have participated at the World Cup on seven occasions, with their best outing a quarter-final finish at Italy 1990.
The Indomitable Lions will take on Switzerland, Serbia and Brazil in Group G, with their first game on Nov. 24.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy (Abha Club), Simon Ngapandouetnbu (Marseille), Andre Onana (Inter Milan)
Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto (Nantes), Enzo Ebosse (Udinese), Collins Fai (Al Tai), Olivier Mbaizo (Philadelphia Union), Nicolas Nkoulou (Aris Salonika), Tolo Nouhou (Seattle Sounders), Christopher Wooh (Stade Rennes)
Midfielders: Martin Hongla (Verona), Pierre Kunde (Olympiakos), Olivier Ntcham (Swansea City), Gael Ondoua (Hannover 96), Samuel Oum Gouet (Mechelen), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli)
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (Al Nassr), Christian Bassogog (Shanghai Shenhua), Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting (Bayern Munich), Souaibou Marou (Coton Sport), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu (Young Boys Berne), Jerome Ngom (Colombe Dja), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Besiktas), Jean-Pierre Nsame (Young Boys Berne), Karl Toko Ekambi (Olympique Lyonnais)
