Huge scandal! The president of the Federation is accused of leaving the captain of the national team at home in order not to equal his goalscoring record

The president of the Cameroon Football Federation is said to have played a major role in the shock exclusion of Vincent Aboubakar, a major figure in Cameroonian football who is now just 12 goals short of Eto'o's all-time record.

Samuel Eto'o, scared that Vincent Aboubakar will equal his national goalscoring record?

Samuel Eto'o, considered one of the greatest African footballers in history, is currently Cameroon's top scorer with 56 goals in 118 appearances.

Vincent Aboubakar, however, quickly came close, scoring 45 goals in 117 games.

Vincent Aboubakar, playing for Hatayspor // photo: Imago Images

According to sources close to the national team, Vincent Aboubakar's approach to the record would have unsettled Samuel Eto'o, who is accused of using his influence to keep the striker out of the squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

The change of coach stirs up new controversies

The allegations come amid a wave of crisis in Cameroonian football. Last week, Samuel Eto'o abruptly sacked coach Marc Brys, citing reasons such as “insubordination” and allegations of “inciting players” against the federation, according to ringier.africa.

In his place, Eto'o appointed David Pagou as interim coach just weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations. This last-minute change deepened confusion within the team, with several insiders describing the environment as chaotic and politically charged.

Andre Onana was also left out of the squad

In addition to the removal of Vincent Aboubakar, the squad announced by interim coach Pagou also excluded Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who is currently on loan at Lyon.

Samuel Eto'o is the president of the Cameroon federation // photo: Imago Images

Andre Onana's absence, however, came as less of a surprise as he is believed to have had a strained relationship with Samuel Eto'o since previous tournaments.

However, the decision to exclude Vincent Aboubakar, Cameroon's captain and most prolific active goalscorer, caused shock among fans.

Although sacked by the federation, Marc Brys insists he remains the legitimate head coach, arguing that only the Ministry of Sport, which originally hired him, has the authority to fire him.

Marc Brys insisted, submitting his own Africa Cup of Nations squad to the Ministry, a list that includes both Andre Onana and Vincent Aboubakar.

This directly contradicts the batch issued by Cameroon under the leadership of Pagou, leaving the national team in an unprecedented situation, caught between two competing managerial authorities. The political impasse has created uncertainty about which batch CAF will accept.

Cameroon's preparations for the African Cup in chaos

The internal conflict comes at a particularly damaging time for Cameroonian football. The national team recently missed out on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde pipping them in the final group standings. Now the same fractures threaten to derail their Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

With two coaching staffs, two squad lists and competing centers of authority, Cameroon are struggling for stability ahead of the tournament.

The deadline for submitting the final squad for the Africa Cup of Nations is Thursday 11 December.

It remains unclear whether the impasse can be resolved before the submission deadline, but what is certain is that Cameroon's preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations have degenerated into one of the most dramatic administrative battles in recent football history.