By Angu Lesley Ngwa Akonwi
Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
Former Cameroon international Yvonne Leuko has spoken from the heart after the Indomitable Lionesses failed to qualify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), describing the team’s second consecutive elimination as “painful and disappointing.”
Cameroon fell 1-0 to Algeria in Yaoundé on Tuesday, confirming a 3-1 aggregate loss that ends their hopes of reaching next year’s finals in Morocco.
For Leuko, who represented her country for more than a decade, the result was a bitter pill to swallow.
“Another non-qualification… honestly, it’s time we start asking ourselves serious questions,” she said.
“Algeria came here and beat us at home — that says a lot. It’s really disappointing.”
The 33-year-old, who featured at two FIFA Women’s World Cups, admitted that watching her former teammates struggle was deeply emotional.
“We’ll be watching the next Women’s AFCON from afar again. What kind of scenario is this?” she asked.
“It really hurts to see our national women’s team in this situation.”
The loss has sparked widespread calls for accountability and reform within the women’s football setup in Cameroon. For Leuko, the message is clear — it’s time to rebuild.
“The badge deserves respect,” she said. “Cameroon has too much talent to keep falling short like this.”
A member of Cameroon’s golden generation, Yvonne Leuko Chibosso was known for her defensive grit, leadership and emotional commitment on and off the pitch. She represented Cameroon at two FIFA Women’s World Cups (2015 and 2019) and several WAFCON tournaments, helping the Lionesses reach two continental finals in 2016 and 2018. A respected voice even after retirement, Leuko continues to advocate for progress in women’s football — her passion for the game undimmed, her love for the Lionesses unchanged.
Cameroon’s exit not only rules them out of WAFCON 2026, but also eliminates their chance of competing in the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers, marking a painful chapter for a side once seen as a powerhouse in African women’s football.
Even in disappointment, Leuko’s words capture the emotion of a nation still waiting for its Lionesses to roar again.
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