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Examination of over 100 footballers whose career abroad never peaked and why

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By Philemon Mbale

Guest Writer, kick442.com-Africa


Within the past nine, between 2015 and 2023, more than 100 Cameroonian footballers left the country’s Elite football league championship in search of greener pastures abroad. The dream arguably was to make it to Europe’s top five leagues—France, Germany, Spain, England, or Italy—places where careers are launched, and legacies are built.

Unfortunately, none of them made it directly into these prestigious leagues. This bleak statistic is a damning indictment of the state of football development in Cameroon and raises serious concerns about the capacity of the country’s football system to produce talent fit for international competition.

This inability of Cameroon’s domestic league to deliver players directly to Europe’s top clubs is not an isolated incident but rather a recurring theme. It reflects deep-rooted problems within the nation’s football infrastructure, which many experts and fans have lamented for years. The disconnect between local football and international success points to serious flaws in player development, infrastructure, and the broader organizational strategies within the Cameroonian football ecosystem.

Infrastructural Deficiencies

One of the most glaring issues is the lack of quality infrastructure. The top leagues in Europe are not just looking for talented players; they seek professionals who are polished, physically prepared, and tactically astute. Cameroon’s elite league, however, struggles to provide the training grounds, fitness centers, and modern stadiums that would allow players to reach their full potential. In Europe, young footballers are nurtured in world-class facilities, surrounded by medical staff, nutritionists, and analysts—all contributing to their overall development. In Cameroon, these resources are woefully inadequate, leaving talented players underprepared for the rigors of international competition.

Absence of Effective Football Academies

Cameroon, despite its rich football history, lacks a comprehensive system of academies capable of detecting and developing young talent. The success of top African players such as Njitap, Mbia, Clinton Njie who were stars in European leagues, belies the fact that Cameroon’s current system fails to consistently identify and nurture the next generation of players. In comparison to countries like Senegal and Ivory Coast, which have produced top European league stars through well-structured academies and partnerships, Cameroon falls short.

Football academies are the lifeblood of talent pipelines, but in Cameroon, many clubs lack the resources or expertise to run effective youth systems. As a result, many players are not given the right mentorship or training from a young age, leaving them underdeveloped when they do get a chance abroad. The failure to invest in these academies stifles the potential of many talented young footballers who never get the opportunity to shine on the international stage.

Incompetent Training and Coaching Staff

A significant part of a footballer’s development is in the hands of their coaches, yet many teams in Cameroon’s top flight are hampered by a lack of qualified and competent coaching staff. The intricate training processes needed to develop young players are not adequately followed, and there is a lack of innovative approaches to modern football. Coaches who should be mentoring the next generation often lack both the necessary qualifications and the exposure to global best practices. This has led to stagnation, with young players being inadequately prepared to transition from domestic football to the elite level abroad.

Poor decision making by players and their entourage

Poor decision-making by players and their entourages has derailed the careers of several promising Cameroonian footballers, preventing them from reaching their full potential. Choices such as joining unsuitable clubs, prioritizing short-term financial gain over long-term development, or surrounding themselves with unqualified advisors have often led to missed opportunities. In some cases, players have failed to adapt to foreign leagues due to cultural and professional mismatches, while others have fallen victim to poor career management and conflicts with coaches. These misguided decisions, often made under pressure or without proper guidance, have prematurely ended or stalled careers that could have flourished with the right support and strategy.

Poor Marketing and International Exposure

Football has evolved beyond just what happens on the pitch. For players to get noticed by the top leagues, clubs need robust marketing and exposure strategies. Sadly, Cameroonian clubs are lagging in this regard. There is little or no marketing of players to international scouts, and clubs rarely engage in strategic partnerships with foreign teams to facilitate talent exchange programs. As a result, Cameroonian players are often invisible on the global stage, making it harder for them to secure spots in top leagues. A recent example is the transfer of about 10 teenage Cameroonian footballers from Livanda Lions FA to Serbia with Club FK Sloga.

In contrast, countries with similar footballing cultures like Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Ivory Coast and Nigeria have excelled in marketing their talent through international tournaments and collaborations with European clubs. Two Ghanaian youngsters were recently signed into FC Barcelona’s academy straight from Ghana. Cameroon’s failure to do the same has severely limited its players’ ability to be recognized on the global stage.

Financial Struggles of Elite Clubs

Cameroonian football clubs are also hampered by a lack of funds. Running a football academy, hiring competent staff, maintaining infrastructure, and marketing players all require substantial financial backing, which many elite clubs simply do not have. Without adequate funding, clubs cannot afford to invest in long-term development plans for their players. Instead, they often rely on selling players to less competitive markets to stay afloat financially, rather than focusing on building players who could make it to Europe’s top leagues.

The Way Forward

Cameroon’s football administrators and stakeholders must recognize that the problem is not the talent pool but the system. A complete overhaul of the football infrastructure, from youth academies to marketing strategies, is necessary. This includes building better facilities, hiring more competent coaches, and creating strategic partnerships with European clubs to foster talent exchanges. The government, private sector, and football federations need to collaborate to ensure that football is not just a game in Cameroon but an industry that can compete on the global stage.

Investing in football infrastructure, youth development, and marketing will not just benefit the players but also the country’s footballing reputation. Cameroon has a rich football heritage, but to restore its place as a powerhouse, much more must be done to ensure that young footballers can fulfill their dreams of playing in Europe’s top leagues.

For now, the exodus of players is a painful reminder of how much talent Cameroon is losing and how much work remains to be done.

Below is a list of 100 Cameroonian footballers who left MTN Elite 1 for abroad and finally did not make it to Europe’s top leagues. Many of them returned back home after a few spells out of Cameroon, while some are still playing today outside of Europe’s top leagues.

1. Moise Sakava

2. Innocent Assana

3. George Bokwe

4. Arouna Dang

5. Clarence Bitang

6. Frannz Pangop

7. Kombi Manjang

8. Agbor Kevin

9. Mohamed Djetei

10. Mark Ojong

11. Ronald Ngah

12. Nji Kelvin Ketu

13. Otia Paul

14. Rostand Mbai

15. Baba Basile

16. Ngweni Ndasi

17. Marou Souaibou

18. Ngueme Araina

19. Emmanuel Mahop

20. Dande Junior

21. Simon Omossola

22. Franck Boya

23. Ahmed Ngouyamsa

24. Ebah Tobi

25. Gustave Moundi

26. Herman Kekambus

27. Bertin Nguemaleu

28. Guy Edoa Serge

29. Ekolo Malolo

30. Ako Asomo

31. Pascal Mbarga Abega

32. Leonel Ateba

33. Paul Serge Atangana Mvondo

34. Thierry Akono

35. Eta Bawak

36. Bong Leonel

37. Ntui Obasi

38. Bate Arsene

39. Yindui Bouba

40. Yindui Mohamed

41. Heutcou Gerome

42. Epane Litizi

43. Serge Andoulo

44. Nlend Samuel

45. Moise Pouati

46. Mfegue George

47. Zock II

48. Alfonse Marie Tiencheu

49. Yannick Noah

50. Che Malone

51. Narcise Nlend

52. Francis Elimbi

53. Platini Kaham

54. Kongyuy Jude

55. Esua Jeannot

56. Junior Awono

57. Franklin Tchebemou

59. Junior Ngongang Figo

60. Kwedi Elombo

61. Raymond Fossouo

62. Moussa Soulemanou

63. Enow Nkembe Adolf

64. Mani Bertrand

65. Efala Konguep

66. Ernest Nsombo

67. Brice Tchamabo

68. Brice Kalamoum

69. Fabrice Ngah

70. Parfait Tchoubia

71. Junior Thomas Libih

72. Alain Rostand Nandjou

73. Junior Kemadjou

74. Junior Atemengue

75. Christian Heumi

76. Kouoh Bille

77. Pange Lobe

78. Ako Harry

79. Aaron Mbimbe

80. Romeo Nyem Nyem

81. Bonyang Fernando

82. Kingue Pondo

83. Yvan Mboudou Mballa

84. Thierry Nloga Makon

85. Didier Yimga

86. Jean Joseph Kombus

87. Salomon Banga

88. Aurelien Etame

89. Thierry Tchuente

90. Francis Balliang

91. Kaiba Djawal

92. Donfack Ramses

93. Amih Renzo

94. Abdoulaye Yahaya

95. Joseph Yanki

96. Thierry Etoga

97. Mfede Junior

98. Felix Chenkam

99. Ngwem Jonathan

100. Christ Mbondi


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