- Jules Armand Kooh was erroneously sidelined from Cameroon’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers due to a mistaken identity issue
- The federation’s investigation confirmed Kooh’s identity, clearing him of any wrongdoing and aligning his details with FIFA-CONNECT systems
- The incident highlighted the challenges of identity verification in football, with Kooh missing a crucial opportunity for national representation and career advancement
Jules Armand Kooh, the leading scorer in Elite One, was regrettably sidelined from participating in the third and fourth days of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Cameroon due to a mistaken alert regarding a supposed case of dual identity.
The 24-year-old striker, one of two domestic players summoned to Marc Brys’ squad, was conspicuously absent from the team sheet and did not make the trip to Luanda while the federation conducted an investigation into the alleged identity issue.
The federation initially suspected that the Les Astres of Douala forward might have altered his identity, citing a remarkable resemblance to TESSOU ZOUH ARMAND, a player formerly associated with Agai Academie Football Club of Pitoa. However, these allegations were subsequently disproven, as it became clear that Kooh had no connection to the player or club in question.
In a formal communication to the player’s legal representative, the federation’s secretary general clarified:
“Following thorough investigations and review of your client’s personal documents submitted for our perusal, we have determined that the confusion arose from a physical similarity between TESSOU ZOUH ARMAND, affiliated with Agai Academie Football Club of Pitoa, and your client, Mr. KOOH BIOUMLA Jules Armand, of Les Astres club of Douala.”
“We can confirm that the details in your client’s documents are accurate and match the information in the FIFA-CONNECT systems.”
It is noteworthy that the Cameroon Football Federation had previously flagged over 63 players for potential dual identity issues in May 2024, yet KOOH BIOUMLA was not among those listed.
Coach Marc Brys had intended to include Kooh in his strategy for both matches, expressing his disappointment over the striker’s unavailability:
“We selected two local talents, but for reasons unknown, which we will investigate further, Armand Kooh encountered an issue with his birth date. It’s a regrettable situation, as we missed out on this forward’s contributions.”
This occasion marked Jules Armand Kooh’s inaugural call-up to the national team. Although he played with the intermediate lions in 2020, he did not participate in the Africa Cup of Nations.
An appearance with the Indomitable Lions would have provided significant exposure for Kooh, particularly with the prime transfer window approaching.
Throughout his football journey, Jules Armand Kooh has played for regional team Savannah, Avion Academy, Stade Renard, and currently, Les Astres of Douala.
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