The new era of David Pagou with the Indomitable Lions is taking an increasingly clear shape. For the upcoming 2027 AFCON qualifying matches, the Cameroonian head coach has unveiled a squad of 26 players that has been widely rejuvenated, marked by several major absences. The most symbolic remains that of André Onana.
The Manchester United goalkeeper is not included in the group selected by Pagou. A strong decision for a player who long held a central place in the Cameroonian national team. His absence, however, is not entirely new: Onana had already missed some recent gatherings, a sign that his status among the Lions is no longer as certain as before.
A squad focused on youth
Pagou did not merely leave out a few key players. He seems intent on building a new hierarchy. Carlos Baleba, Nouhou Tolo, Vincent Aboubakar, Christian Bassogog and several other regulars are also missing from the list. Baleba is notably absent for physical reasons.
Conversely, several young players are getting their chance:
- Bill Nsongo, a 21-year-old defender playing for Deportivo La Coruña
- Angel Yondjo
- Emmanuel Moungam
- Junior Samuel Kotto
These new faces illustrate the renewal the head coach is aiming for.
Does Pagou want to turn the page?
The head coach fully embraces this reshuffling. His message is clear: past status no longer guarantees a place in the squad.
For Onana, the situation is therefore particularly interesting. The goalkeeper will now have to prove himself on the pitch to regain a place in a group that appears to be gradually forming without him.
The upcoming matches against the Comoros and Congo, followed by the subsequent fixtures, will help gauge the soundness of Pagou's choices. Because leaving out key players is one thing; successfully establishing a new generation for the long term is another.
In Cameroon, the generational transition now seems to be well and truly underway.
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