By Oni Ladonette Ondesa
Journalist,kick442.com-Cameroon
Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné has become the first player to appear at eight editions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The Cameroon captain reached the milestone after coming off the bench against Mali in the Indomitable Lionesses’ opening match at the 2026 tournament in Morocco, moving ahead of Nigeria’s Onome Ebi, who made seven WAFCON appearances.
The record is the latest milestone in a Cameroon career that began in 2008. For 18 years, Aboudi has remained a regular for the national team, featuring across different generations and major tournaments while maintaining her place in one of Africa’s most competitive squads.
Born in Douala on 25 February 1989, Aboudi started her club career with Canon Yaoundé before joining Louves Minproff, where she won three consecutive league titles between 2009 and 2011. Her performances earned her a move to Russia in 2015 with Rossiyanka before she joined CSKA Moscow in 2017. Nicknamed “OG7”, she built her reputation as a quick, intelligent forward known for her movement, close control and finishing.
She made her senior international debut in 2008 and established herself as one of Cameroon’s key players. In 2011, she scored the winning goal against South Africa in the semi-finals of the All-Africa Games, helping Cameroon reach the final before winning the gold medal.
Aboudi has represented Cameroon at every major international competition. She scored the country’s only goal at the London 2012 Olympic Games before playing at the FIFA Women’s World Cups in 2015 and 2019. Her goal against Switzerland secured Cameroon’s first-ever Women’s World Cup victory and helped the Lionesses reach the knockout stage for the first time. She also scored against the Netherlands four years later in France.
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has been the defining competition of her international career. Since her debut in 2008, Aboudi has played at every WAFCON tournament for which Cameroon qualified: 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2026.
Her best tournament came in 2016 when Cameroon hosted the competition. Aboudi led the Lionesses to the final and was named Player of the Tournament after a series of influential performances. Cameroon lost to Nigeria in the final, having also finished runners-up to the same opponents in 2014. The Lionesses claimed third place in 2018.
Alongside her record eight WAFCON appearances, Aboudi has been nominated several times for the CAF Women’s Player of the Year award and was named in the IFFHS CAF Women’s Team of the Decade (2011–2020).
Although she has won individual honours and broken the WAFCON appearance record, the continental title remains the only major trophy missing from her international career. With Cameroon competing again in Morocco, Aboudi continues to chase the one achievement that has eluded her throughout nearly two decades with the Indomitable Lionesses.
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