Cameroon head coach, Rigobert Song Bahanag, has named two home based players in his 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which will kick-off in Qatar later this month.
Song made public his squad, during a press briefing in Yaounde on Wednesday evening, after his sides 1-1 draw with Jamaica, in a friendly game.
Coton Sport’s Captain Souaibou Marou and Colombe Sportive’s pacy winger Jerome Ngom Mbekeli, are the only two local players listed in Cameroon’s travelling party to Abu Dhabi, where they will continue preparations.
21-year-old Souaibou Marou, has had a scintillating season with Cotonsport of Garoua, helping his team to clinch a domestic double, and has played a big role in Cotonsport reaching the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
He was recently crowned Cameroon’s footballer of the year, and Rigobert Song has given him to opportunity to live his dreams, as he was part of the Cameroon team that grabbed qualification in Algeria, in March this year.
24-year-old Jerome Ngom Mbekeli, has been in fine form with Cameroon Elite one side Colombe Sportive of the Dja and Lobo, and now has the opportunity to showcase his talent in a global scene.
Rigobert Song has opted for three goalkeepers, with Inter Milan’s Andre Onana, David Epassy and Olympique Marseille’s Simon Ngapandouetnbu being his preferred options.
His seven-man defense is headed by the experienced Nicolas Nkoulou, while his six-man midfield has Napoli’s Andre Franck Zambo Anguissa as the metronome.
Captain Vincent Aboubakar leads the 10-man attacking compartment
Just three of the 26 players in Cameroon’s world cup squad, have featured in the competition before. Nicolas Nkoulou, Vincent Aboubakar and Choupo Moting, will be in their third world cups, after previously making the cut in the 2010 and 2014 editions.
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Rennes Christopher Maurice Wooh, Swansea City’s Jules Olivier Ntcham, Kevin Nkoudou, Bryan Mbeumo, and Young Boys’ Jean Pierre Nsame, will be in their first major tournament with the indomitable lions.
The biggest absentee from Rigobert Song’s list, is Club Gent’s defender Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, who played a crucial role in Cameroon qualification for the competition.
The Indomitable Lions, who will be in their eighth participation at the world cup, are lodged in Group G alongside Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia.
Prior to their departure from Cameroon, Rigobert Song and his team made up of mostly home based players, played a 1-1 draws against the Reggae Boys of Jamaica at the Amadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde on Wednesday evening. Coton Sport’s midfielder Kaiba Djawal, came off the bench to level scores for Cameroon, after McMaster Justin had put Jamaica in front.
Cameroon will kick start their world cup campaign against Switzerland on November 24, before facing Serbia on November 28, and ending the group stage with a game against Brazil on December 02, 2022.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy (Abha Club), Simon Ngapandouetnbu (Olympique de 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 (Dynamo Moscow), Jerome Ngom (Colombe Dja), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Besiktas), Jean-Pierre Nsame (Young Boys Berne), Karl Toko Ekambi (Olympique Lyonnais).
