The life of the Cameroonian midfielder of Hannover Gael Ondua turned unexpectedly after the World Cup in Qatar.
The 27-year-old athlete, who for the first time visited the largest start of the four years as part of the national team, was no longer needed by the German team.
Over the past few months, he has never appeared on the field and was not even allowed to train with the first team at all times.
According to Ondua himself, this is due to his political and purely human position.
Gael, who, in addition to the Cameroonian, also has a Russian passport, actively supports footballers from their second homeland who have been suspended from international competitions.
In Qatar, the midfielder played in boots with the image of a tricolor, and in the comments he repeatedly emphasized that he was proud to represent not only Cameroon, but also Russia in the tournament.
According to him, he was ready for any sanctions from FIFA due to the peculiarities of his equipment, even for removal from the World Cup.
The footballer was not afraid of the threats coming in social networks, just as he does not intend to deviate from his convictions now that he is faced with professional difficulties.
“In short, in a club with a contract that is valid until the end of the season, they no longer count on me.
Despite the experience of playing at the World Cup.
Despite the disqualification of the defensive midfielder.
Despite the fact that the defenders are forced to move into the center of the field.
Despite a series of defeats in the last rounds.
There is not the slightest chance that I will enter the field this season, ”the football player wrote in his column on Sports.ru.
He stressed that the reasons for such behavior on the part of the club's management are obvious and understandable not only to him.
“Everyone saw what happened after the World Cup.
With me - a football player who is listed in the club as a Russian citizen.
And who believes that a person should always have his own truth and his own position.
And right now I'm paying the price for it," Ondua said.
He continues to train, although he is sometimes released from classes, and once he was left alone in the locker room.
At the same time, according to the athlete, relations with teammates remained as good as before, he worries about the results of the club and tries to be ready to help him at any moment.
In Hannover, they categorically rejected the political component in the relationship between the player and the club.
They said that the small amount of playing time Ondua this season is due solely to sports reasons.
“He was given chances to prove himself in training and in two matches in the second Bundesliga - he could not use them.
The player was repeatedly talked about his situation and several times frankly reported a sports assessment, ”TASS quotes a comment from the press service of the German club.
In turn, Bild writes that in the coming days, the parties will discuss a possible termination of the contract, which is valid until June 30.
It is reported that the player's agent Vadim Vasiliev has already traveled to Germany to discuss the current situation, and in the event of early termination of the contract, the 96ers will have to pay the midfielder about €200,000.
According to the publication, Ondua was suspended from games with the main team by the decision of head coach Stefan Leitl, and this has nothing to do with the footballer's passport.
Allegedly, back in April last year, the midfielder was informed that he had no future in the team.
However, he refused the transfer, although Zurich, Sochaux and Auxerre were interested in him.
Before the World Cup in Qatar, Ondua came on as a substitute in two matches of the second Bundesliga, but did not score with effective actions.
After the World Cup, he was transferred to the youth team, where he had to train all this time.
The last straw that overflowed Leitl's patience, reportedly, was the fact that Ondua appeared at one of the base's open training sessions and began to complain to reporters about his unenviable position.
According to the German coach, Gael "put his ego above the team", and therefore will no longer be part of it.
Meanwhile, according to Russian media, several domestic clubs, including one in Moscow, are ready to invite Ondua.
The athlete also does not mind returning to Russia.
The football player, although he was born in Cameroon, lived in Moscow from the age of nine.
He was brought up at the Lokomotiv school, played for the youth team of CSKA, and played for Anji in the RPL.
Alexander Grishin, who at one time led the red-blue reserve, found it difficult to answer whether the player would strengthen the Russian championship team at the moment.
“When Gael played for the double, he looked good, but at that time there was a lot of competition in CSKA.
Then Pontus Wernbloom played at the base, Keisuke Honda took the field.
Perhaps that is why he went to Europe.
Should we wait for his return to Russia?
It depends on his desire, ”said the former football player in an interview with RT.
He also doubted that the removal of Ondua from the basis of Hannover was connected with his attitude towards his second homeland.
According to the expert, most likely, gaming aspects influenced this.
“If a player is strong, then the coach will not put him on the bench for some reason.
He played two meetings in just a year, in both he came on as a substitute.
And the situation was like this before his interview.
He probably just lost the competition to others, ”summed up Grishin.
At the same time, State Duma deputy Dmitry Svishchev suggested that Gael, if necessary, seek help and support from the Russian Embassy in Germany, and if the issue is not resolved during negotiations with the club, file a lawsuit.
“He’s done well for expressing his position, not being afraid of anyone.
But if the Hannover decision is not related to sports issues, then there may be a violation of contractual obligations, and in this case, the purest discrimination based on nationality is visible, ”said Svishchev.