Nóng: Onana officially excluded from Cameroon national team

Andre Onana was suddenly dropped from the CAN 2025 roster, marking an uncertain new phase for the goalkeeper who had been a mainstay of the Cameroon team.

Andre Onana is going through the worst period of his career, with the latest shock being his exclusion from the 28-player list for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. This decision sparked much debate, especially since Cameroon called up four goalkeepers but still left out Onana – who was the first choice for many years with 53 caps for the national team.

Onana’s decline began with consecutive mistakes at Manchester United, including a shocking loss to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup. A hamstring injury followed by losing his spot to Senne Lammens forced him to move on loan to Trabzonspor since September. Although he kept three clean sheets in Turkey, this form did not convince Cameroon’s coaching staff.

The current squad still includes familiar names like Bryan Mbeumo from MU, Carlos Baleba from Brighton, and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou. The decision to leave Onana out became even more shocking when just hours later, the Cameroon Football Federation led by Samuel Eto’o announced the dismissal of coach Marc Brys. David Pagou was appointed as the replacement, with less than three weeks left to prepare for the opening match against Gabon on December 24.

Besides personnel changes, the overall situation of Cameroonian football is unstable. The national team was recently eliminated from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after a 0-1 defeat to Congo, triggering a wave of harsh criticism towards the federation and coaching staff. Frequent changes in coaches and player selections have raised concerns about the five-time African champions’ lack of stable preparation.

For Onana, being left out of CAN 2025 marks a significant setback. Once expected to be a cornerstone in Cameroon’s rebuilding process, his future in the national team now looks uncertain. Even Manchester United’s coach Ruben Amorim acknowledged Onana struggles under pressure, and sometimes “a change of environment is necessary to regain form.”

As Cameroon prepares to embark on their CAN 2025 campaign with a new setup, the big question remains: does Onana still have a place in the team’s future, or is this the end of his international career?

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