Cameroon dropped longtime Centre-back Michael Ngadou-Ngajuy from its World Cup squad when manager Rigoberto Song named Qatar’s 26-man selection on Wednesday 9th November.
The manager surprisingly welcomed two of his hometown players, Souaibou Marou and Jerome Ngom, who won his first cap in a friendly against Jamaica a few hours earlier.
The team is led by Vincent Abouvakar, who attended the 2010 World Cup as a teenager and returned to Brazil in 2014.
It will also be the third World Cup for defender Nicolas Nukur,32years and Bayern attacker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting,33years.
Nkoulou returned to the squad in September after a five-year absence after retiring from the team after winning the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ngadeu was also part of that team and has been a regular in Cameroon ever since. He was absent two months ago due to the final round of friendly matches and a trip to Qatar.
Song gave no explanation for the 31-year-old Belgian’s sacking during a hastily held press conference on Wednesday, where reporters were briefed on the intention to appoint the crew.
But there is also teenage goalkeeper Simon Ngapandouetnbu, who is studying at Olympique de Marseille but has yet to play a senior game. He is the only unsuccessful player on the team.
Cameroon will enter the World Cup for the eighth time – a record number of appearances for an African country – and face Switzerland, Serbia and Brazil in Group G, with the first match on November 24.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy (Abha Club), Simon Ngapandouetnbu (Olympique de Marseille), André Onana (Inter Milan)
Defenders: Jean-Charles Castelletto (Nantes), Enzo Ebosse (Udinese), Collins Fai (Al Tai), Olivier Mbaizo (Philadelphia Union), Nicolas Nkoulou (Aris Salonique), Tolo Nouhou (Seattle Sounders), Christopher Wooh (Stade Rennes) )
Midfielders: Martin Hongla (Verona), Pierre Kunde (Olympiakos), Olivier Ntcham (Swansea City), Gael Ondoua (Hanover 96), Samuel Oum Gouet (Mechelen), André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli)
Attackers: Vincent Aboubakar (Al Nassr), Christian Bassogog (Shanghai Shenhua), Eric-Maxime Choupo Moting (Bayern Munich), Souaibou Marou (Coton Sport), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford), Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu (Young Boys Bern) , Jérôme Ngom (Colombe Dja), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Besiktas), Jean-Pierre Nsame (Young Boys Bern), Karl Toko Ekambi (Olympique Lyonnais).
