Cameroon Dismisses Coach Brys, Appoints Pagou for AFCON

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Cameroon's soccer federation dismissed Belgian coach Marc Brys on Monday and appointed David Pagou as his replacement, just three weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations begins on December 21 in Morocco. In his first act, Pagou excluded longtime captain Vincent Aboubakar and goalkeeper André Onana from the 28-player squad announced late that day, signaling a major overhaul for the five-time continental champions.

The move followed Cameroon's elimination from 2026 World Cup qualifying last month, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the African playoffs. Brys, a veteran coach appointed in April 2024 by the sports ministry, had faced ongoing tensions with the federation led by president Samuel Eto'o, a Cameroon legend and former Barcelona striker. The federation cited grievances against Brys, including allegations of subterfuge and insubordination, in a statement released Monday. Eto'o, re-elected to a second term as president of the Cameroonian Football Federation over the weekend, acted swiftly to install Pagou, a 56-year-old coach with extensive experience in the domestic league, including stints at clubs like Coton Sport....