Cameroon coach Rigobert Song's list to face Burundi on September 12 includes only 14 players who took part in the last World Cup in Qatar.
Rigobert Song to do without some of his key players
Cameroon coach Rigobert Song has announced the 24-man squad that will face Burundi in Garoua on September 12. Rigobert Song has made some (almost) unexpected choices for this match, which counts as the final day of the CAN 2023 qualifiers. Of the 24 players called up, only 14 took part in the last World Cup in Qatar.
André Onana, Clinton Njie and Moukoudi return
The major news in the list published this Tuesday, August 29, 2023, is the call-up of André Onana. On early retirement since his suspension in the midst of the 2022 World Cup, the Manchester United goalkeeper seems to have returned to a better frame of mind. Even if, according to the latest news, his call-up did not come without conditions. According to reports, the last Champions League finalist required a number of guarantees before his name could be included in the squad.
Like André Onana, other returnees include Oum Gouet, Gaël Ondoua, Clinton Njie and Harold Moukoudi. In superb form with Sivasspor (4 goals in 6 games in all competitions this season) and AEK Athens (Greek champions 2023), the latter two had not been called up since the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
François-Régis Mughe arrives
One surprise in the list is the presence of François-Régis Mughe. Never selected by Rigobert Song or his predecessors, the 19-year-old prodigy makes a remarkable appearance in the Indomitable Lions' den. A well-deserved first for the Marseille midfielder, who has been putting in a string of fine performances since the start of the season. The Cameroonian-born talent has already played 3 matches in Ligue 1.
Nkoulou and Castelletto omitted
However, Rigobert Song's list also includes some notable absentees. Nicolas Nkoulou and Jean-Charles Castelletto, two central defenders who started at the previous World Cup, have been left out. While the former is without a club after signing with Aris Salonika, the latter continues to shine with Nantes. He even scored a goal against Monaco (3-3) last Friday in Ligue 1. The reason for Castellettto's omission is simple because e is suspended following double yellow cards in Cameroon's last qualifier against Namibia. Despite these choices, the coach has favored a certain continuity by calling up a relatively young squad.
