After the 2022 World Cup, André Onana says goodbye to the Cameroon team
Cameroonian goalkeeper André Onana, here on October 29, 2022. AP - Luca Bruno
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
2 mins
Excluded from the Indomitable Lions group before the end of the first round of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, André Onana announced on Friday, December 23, that he will no longer wear the Cameroon jersey.
The goalkeeper believes that his history with the national team "
has come to an end
".
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Unless the situation changes in the future, André Onana will never know a 35th international cap.
And the defeat of Cameroon, on November 24 when they entered the World Cup in Qatar
against Switzerland (1-0)
, will remain as their last appearance with the Indomitable Lions.
In a message posted on Twitter, the doorman formalized his international retirement.
Wearing the Cameroon jersey was an honor for him.
"
I can proudly say that I have realized my biggest dream
," writes the Inter Milan player.
“
However, every story, no matter how beautiful, has an end.
And my story within the Cameroon national team has come to an end
”, continues André Onana, who recalls that “
players come and go, names are ephemeral, but Cameroon comes before any person or player (sic)
”.
❤️🇨🇲 pic.twitter.com/yclau0Kf4M
— Andre Onana (@AndreyOnana) December 23, 2022
“
Cameroon is eternal, like my love for the national team
”
At 26, the former resident of FC Barcelona and Ajax Amsterdam therefore bids farewell to the selection.
A very sad end to this World Cup for him.
After the inaugural defeat against Switzerland, André Onana was
removed from Rigobert Song's group
for "
indiscipline
", according to the coach.
"
In a group you have to respect the rules, I prefer to preserve the group than the individualities
", had dropped Song.
Onana was therefore absent in the second match against Serbia (3-3), Devis Epassy replacing him on the field.
On November 29, the goalkeeper assured, in a press release, that he had "
always behaved appropriately
" and that he had done everything to "
untie the ties of an ambiguous situation
", while respecting the decisions taken. .
André Onana then
left Qatar
, before the third match won against Brazil (1-0).
A prestigious result but insufficient for the Indomitable Lions to qualify for the knockout stages.
In his message announcing his international retirement, André Onana does not return to the reasons which led him to make this decision, nor to what went wrong in Qatar during the World Cup.
“
Cameroon is eternal.
Also eternal is my love for the national team and for our people who have always supported us, no matter how difficult the moment.
My feeling will never change.
My Cameroonian heart will continue to beat, and wherever I go, I will always fight to carry my country as high as possible
,” he promises.
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