ANDRE ONANA OMITTED: CAMEROON DROPS STAR FOR AFCON AMIDST TURMOIL
Cameroon announced their AFCON squad, omitting Onana and sacking manager Marc Brys. The goalie's struggle with club pressure continues on the international stage.
It's another tough break for goalkeeper Andre Onana, as he's been left off Cameroon’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. The 29-year-old is having a rough 2025-26 season. He lost his starting spot at Manchester United and was then loaned to Trabzonspor in Turkey in September.
Onana's Omission Despite Cameroon Naming Four Goalies
Cameroon revealed their 28-man squad for AFCON on Monday, and Onana's absence was a surprise, considering they picked four goalkeepers. The tournament kicks off on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with Morocco vs. Comoros.
The squad includes Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba (who was rumoured to be joining Old Trafford), and ex-Tottenham winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, now with Saudi Arabian club Diriyah Club.
Cameroon’s 2025 AFCON Squad:
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy, Simon Omossola, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Edouard Sombang
Defenders: Samuel Junior Kotto, Gerzino Nyamsi, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Nouhou Tolo, Flavien Enzo Boyomo, Nagida Mahamadou, Junior Tchamadeu, Christopher Wooh, Darlin Yongwa
Midfielders: Martin Ndzie, Carlos Baleba, Arthur Avom, Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe, Fidel Brice Ambina, Danny Namaso, Christian Bassogog, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Jean Junior Onana, Olivier Kemen
Forwards: Bryan Mbeumo, Christian Kofane, Frank Magri, Karl Etta Eyong, Patrick Soko
Manager Sacked on the Same Day by Five-Time AFCON Winners
In a day full of news, the Cameroon Football Federation, led by Samuel Eto’o, fired manager Marc Brys when the squad was announced. David Pagou has been named as Brys’ replacement. The five-time AFCON champs begin their tournament against Gabon in three weeks (December 24), followed by matches against the Ivory Coast (December 28) and Mozambique (December 31).
A Difficult Season for Onana Worsens
Not being named to Cameroon's squad is yet another low point in Onana's already tough season. After losing his United spot to Altay Bayindir due to a preseason hamstring injury, he made two mistakes in the team's Carabao Cup loss to Grimsby Town on August 27.
Onana, with 53 caps for Cameroon, was then allowed to join Trabzonspor in early September after Senne Lammens arrived from Royal Antwerp. Lammens has stepped up as United's new No. 1, ahead of Bayindir.
United Boss Amorim Hints at Onana's Struggles with Pressure
After Onana's move to Trabzonspor, United coach Ruben Amorim said that he thought Onana had trouble handling the pressure of playing for the club.
Amorim said in September, Andre had a super season with Inter. He has the talent, but sometimes things get tough at this club. Even experienced players can feel the pressure. Sometimes a change is needed.
We felt he needed something different. It's not always easy to say exactly why. It's about performance, moments, and some bad luck. We wanted to change things up with the goalkeepers.
I want the best for Andre. He worked hard and tried to support the squad. You can have all the talent, but sometimes you just need a different scene to get back to your best. That's how we felt, and Andre agreed.
Lammens is expected to start for United against West Ham on Thursday. Onana, with three clean sheets in 10 games for Trabzonspor, may play in their Turkish Cup match against Vanspor FK on Wednesday.
WILFRIED NANCY: CELTIC BOSS BLOCKS OUT ALL "NOISE" AND CRITICISM AFTER HEARTS LOSS
After the heat following the Hearts' loss, Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy stated he has "blocked everything out," including social media criticism, to focus solely on the team's performance.
Celtic's head coach, Wilfried Nancy, said he tunes out all the noise when making decisions as a manager.
This comes after the Frenchman faced some heat after a 2-1 loss to Heart of Midlothian in his first game with the Glasgow team.
Before the Europa League match against AS Roma, Nancy said he doesn't pay attention to what others think.
When asked if those opinions bother him, he told a press conference, "That's a good question."
I'll be honest.
Every team I've coached—when I decided to become a coach—well, when I had the chance to become a coach, I'd been an assistant for seven years, working with many coaches.
I always told myself that when I became a coach, I'd block everything out. And that's exactly what I did.
He said he's built a wall between himself and any outside opinions, even online criticism.
I've blocked anything on Twitter that mentions my name, the club, or what people are saying.
People can say what they want. It's part of the job, and that's what we prepare for. I'm not here to comment on everything.
The manager explained that ignoring public opinion helps him focus on what he can control to improve how the team plays.
He used an analogy about how everyone has different tastes, like when people have different experiences with the same food.
We could visit a restaurant together, and you might love the food, while I don't.
Get what I mean? You like it, and I don't.
Nancy made his goals clear: he's focused on his players and the club and wants to do his best to give good performances.
He wrapped up by saying, At the end of the day, it's part of the job. I control what I can to be good with my players, my club, and the people I work with and to make sure we have the best chance of winning by playing well.
His team will play AS Roma in the Europa League tomorrow.
PEACE PRIZE SCRUTINY: FIFA FACES FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT UNILATERAL DONALD TRUMP AWARD
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is accused of four breaches of the ethics code by FairSquare, including awarding the first FIFA Peace Prize to Donald Trump at the World Cup draw.
After the World Cup draw last week, FIFA is facing a formal complaint about political neutrality. FairSquare, a nonprofit, sent FIFA’s Ethics Committee a detailed letter pointing out four possible violations by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the event, one of which was giving out the FIFA Peace Prize.
Calls for FIFA to Look Into It
FairSquare's complaint follows the World Cup draw. At the event, the awarding of the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize was part of several mentions of President Donald Trump. FIFA said the award recognised Trump’s work in promoting peace and unity around the world.
FairSquare believes that giving the prize, along with other things that happened during the event, might have gone against FIFA’s policy of being politically neutral. They've requested the ethics committee to look into the decision to create and give out the FIFA Peace Prize and whether it followed FIFA’s rules.
Infantino and Trump
Infantino and Trump have met a few times over the years, which isn't unusual, as FIFA presidents often meet with leaders from different countries. During the draw, Infantino made some comments about Trump.
He said he was surprised by negative comments about Trump. He stated that, regardless of not being American, Trump was elected in the United States, and one should respect the results of a democratic election.
FairSquare's complaint argues that these statements show a political stance, breaking FIFA’s neutrality rules.
FIFA's Ethics Code
FIFA's ethics code says that the organisation should stay neutral when it comes to politics. It specifically says FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion, also requiring everyone bound by the code to remain politically neutral when dealing with government groups.
Infantino has met with Trump a few times, including an invitation to the presidential inauguration and visits to the Oval Office.
Acting Alone
The Peace Prize given to Trump has been questioned, as it seems it was decided on and awarded without talking to senior FIFA officials. High-ranking FIFA officials were unaware of the award before its announcement. The award was revealed on the same day Infantino spoke at an event in the United States.