According to reports, Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana considered leaving the Cameroon national team during the Africa Cup of Nations due to a disagreement with Samuel Eto’o, the president of Cameroon’s Football Federation. The dispute arose after Onana was informed that he would be dropped from the starting lineup for a match.

Onana had already faced criticism for delaying his arrival to the tournament, as he chose to play for Manchester United in a Premier League game against Tottenham before joining the Cameroon squad. This decision resulted in him arriving just hours before a group stage match due to adverse weather conditions diverting his flight.

After his delayed arrival, Onana was given a chance to play in Cameroon’s second group game but delivered a subpar performance in a 3-1 defeat to Senegal, the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions. As a consequence, he was subsequently benched for Cameroon’s crucial final group game against Gambia, with Fabrice Ondoa, who is also Onana’s cousin, taking his place. 

Following the match against Gambia, reports emerged of a “verbal altercation” between Onana and Eto’o regarding his exclusion from the starting lineup. Despite the disagreement, Onana ultimately decided to remain with the squad and put aside his personal differences with Eto’o.

It is expected that Onana will continue to be named as a substitute in Cameroon’s upcoming last-16 match against Nigeria. The situation highlights the challenges and tensions that can arise within a national team environment during major tournaments.