Cameroon keeper Andre Onana quits after World Cup fallout
Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana has announced his retirement from international football.
The announcement comes weeks after he was sent home from the 2022 Fifa World Cup after a fallout with coach Rigobert Song and Cameroon Football Association boss Samuel Eto’o.
In a statement posted on his official social media handles, Onana said he had fulfilled his “great dream” of turning out for the Indomitable Lions, as the Cameroon national team is famously referred to.
“Every story, however beautiful it may be, has its end. And my story with the Cameroonian national team has come to an end”, Onana said.
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The 26-year-old stressed that players come and go ‘but Cameroon comes before any person or player’
“I will continue to support (the national team) as a fan, just as the more than 27 million Cameroonians do at every match.”
❤️🇨🇲 pic.twitter.com/VcgeQcbgIJ
— Andre Onana (@AndreyOnana) December 23, 2022
The former Ajax keeper also thanked those who trusted and believed he could add and contribute to the team.
He said Cameroon remains eternal and so does his love for the national team and for the people who have always supported them no matter how difficult the moment was.
The goalkeeper who played for the full game in Cameroon’s 1-0 loss to Switzerland in his team’s opening game of the Fifa World Cup prematurely left Qatar following the fallout with his bosses.
It was reported he refused to train after Song implored him to change his tactics and kick the ball upfield during matches instead of playing out from the back.
Song was then caught on camera saying he had no choice but to relegate Onana to the bench after he was hesitant to adapt to his tactical changes.
Cameroon lost to Switzerland, drew with Serbia and beat Brazil in her pool matches at the World Cup.
The result ensured the team failed to overcome the first hurdle at the tournament.
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