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Manchester United star Andre Onana was reportedly involved in a furious verbal bust-up with Cameroon FA President Samuel Eto'o. The goalkeeper was eventually dropped for their crucial group-stage game against Gambia.
As per a report in the Daily Mail, Eto'o and Onana have had a broken relationship since the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and have not spoken to each other. Onana and the Cameeron manager, Rigobert Song, had a dispute during the World Cup, after which the goalkeeper was sent home.
Eto'o and Song share a good relationship with each other, having played together for the national team during their playing days. Things got worse at AFCON this year, and the bust-up saw the Manchester United star dropped from the starting XI.
Reporting on the issue, Chris Wheeler of the Daily Mail posted:
"There doesn't appear to be any change in Andre Onana's feud with Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto'o. It's said they haven't spoken since the World Cup in Qatar, and their relationship is broken and irreconcilable. Onana could be back [at Manchester United] this week if Cameroon go out of AFCON on Tuesday."
Cameroon got a last-gasp win over Gambia, and that has seen them qualify for the Round of 16. They face Nigeria on Saturday (January 28), and Onana is unlikely to be recalled into the starting XI.
Manchester United star blasted for disrespecting Cameroon and AFCON suuporters by former Premier League footballers
Sébastien Bassong and Emmanuel Adebayor were furious with Andre Onana and blasted him for alienating the national side supporters. They believe that the goalkeeper should not have delayed his travel to the tournament and made it along with his teammates.
The goalkeeper stayed back to play for Manchester United in the FA Cup against Wigan Athletic, just 24 hours before Cameroon's opener in the tournament.
Adebayor spoke to Sport News Africa and said:
"He [Andre Onana] did not respect Cameroon. I was a player like him, and even being the most important player in my selection, I never acted in this way [arriving on the day of the match]. The fact that this situation is happening shows that there is a problem, perhaps even within the federation. He risks losing big, because he has alienated the Cameroonian supporters, as well as many African supporters and undoubtedly certain members of the team."
Bassong was of the same opinion and claimed that it was disrespectful of Manchester United to ask the goalkeeper to stay back.
He told the BBC:
"It's out of order from both sides. It's disrespectful from Manchester United to request Onana to do such a thing and it's really low from Onana to even consider it. That sends such a bad message, not only for Cameroon, but for the respect people will have for the Africa Cup of Nations and for the way they should treat us, the equality. For me, he should stay home and be punished."
Despite traveling by private jet to AFCON, Onana could make it in time to start their match against Guinea and didn't play in the 1-1 draw.
