Afcon Country Profile: Cameroon

Cameroonian Football Association (CMR)
- Nickname: The Indomitable Lions
- President of Association: Samuel Eto’o
- Coach: Toni Conceição (POR)
- Past AFCON Hosts: 1984
- Current FIFA Ranking: 50
- Current CAF Ranking: 7

AFCON Qualifications (20): 1970, 1972, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021

AFCON Finalists (7): 1984, 1986, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2008,2017

AFCON Champions (5): 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017

AFCON Runners Up (2): 1986, 2008

Most AFCON tournaments appeared in: Rigobert Song (8)

Most tournament goals: Samuel Eto’o (18)

Most capped player: Rigobert Song (137)

All time top scorer: Samuel Eto’o (56)

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The Indomitable Lions are appearing at their 20th AFCON.

Cameroon made their first appearance at the AFCON in 1970.

Cameroon are seven times AFCON Finalists only Egypt and Ghana (9) have appeared in more finals than them.

Cameroon are five times African Champions having last won the title in 2017. They were also winners in 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2002.

Cameroon reached three successive AFCON finals in 1984, 1986 and 1988 they won the title in 1984 and 1988 but lost out in 1986 to hosts Egypt in the final.

Of Cameroon’s five AFCON titles three have been won in West Africa (1984, 2000 and 2002), one has been won in North Africa (1988), their most recent triumph in 2017 came when Central African neighbors Gabon hosted the tournament.

With Cameroon hosting the 2021 AFCON it means that of the last six AFCON tournaments four would have been held in Central Africa, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon co-hosted in 2012, Equatorial Guinea hosted on their own in 2015 while Gabon were tournament hosts in 2017.

Cameroon have had contrasting fortunes during the last two AFCON tournaments hosted in Central Africa, in 2015 in Equatorial Guinea they ended bottom of their group, failing to win a single game. While in 2017 with Gabon as hosts they won the tournament.

Cameroon are AFCON hosts for a second time they hosted the competition in 1972.

At the 1972 AFCON the last time Cameroon hosted the competition they ended in third place.

When they hosted the competition in 1972 Cameroon won their opening group game 2-1 against Kenya at the Stade Omnisports in Yaoundé, they then defeated Togo and drew with Mali to end top of the group. They lost to Congo in the Semi-finals before collecting bronze by defeating the Democratic Republic of Congo 5-2 in the play-off for third.

Newly elected Cameroon FA President Samuel Eto’o is the all- time top scorer at the AFCON with 18 goals. He also top scored at the tournament in 2006 and 2008 scoring five goals at each tournament.

Cameroon FA President Samuel Eto’o is a two time AFCON winner lifting the title with the Indomitable Lions in 2000 and 2002, he was also a runner up in 2008.

Cameroon FA President Samuel Eto’o appeared at the AFCON as a player at six AFCON tournaments between 2000 and 2010.

Cameroon FA President Samuel Eto’o holds the distinction of being one of only three players to have scored at six AFCON tournaments, along with former Zambia and Ghana internationals Kalusha Bwalya and Asamoah Gyan.

Former Cameroon defender Rigobert Song has the honour of having appeared in the joint most AFCON tournaments, appearing in eight.

Cameroon had qualified for eight consecutive AFCON tournaments between 1996 and 2010, they failed to qualify in 2012 and 2013 for the AFCON before reappearing in 2015. They have now qualified for the last four AFCON tournaments.

Cameroon’s record in AFCON opening games reads P19 W9 D5 L5.

Cameroon had failed to win their opening game at four AFCON tournaments in succession losing to Egypt in 2008, Gabon in 2010 and drawing in 2015 and 2017 with Mali and Burkina Faso. Before a 2-0 win in their opening game in 2019 against Guinea Bissau.

Cameroon have on four occasions managed to reach the final after failing to win their opening game, and have gone on to win the tournament thrice.

In 1984 Cameroon lost to Egypt in their opening game but went onto eventually lift the title, in 2000 they drew their opening game against Ghana but went on to win their third AFCON title, in 2008 despite a 4-2 loss to Egypt in their opening game they ended up as tournament runners up. While most recently in 2017 they drew with Burkina Faso but were still able to win a fifth AFCON title.

Cameroon have never previously been involved in a goalless draw in their opening game of an AFCON tournament.

Cameroon are undefeated in their last six group games at the AFCON going through the 2017 (W1 D2) and 2019 (W1 D2) tournaments without losing.

Cameroon have won just two of their last six group games at the AFCON drawing four, both victories have been over Guinea Bissau in their second group game in 2017 and their opening group game in 2019.

Cameroon went through the group stages of the 2019 AFCON without conceding a goal after a 2-0 win over Guinea Bissau they played out goalless draws against Ghana and Benin.

Cameroon have not conceded a goal in their last four group games at the AFCON.

Cameroon’s last group stage loss at the AFCON was in their final group game in 2015 a 1-0 defeat to eventual winners Cote d’ Ivoire.

That loss to Cote d’Ivoire in their final group game in 2017 is Cameroon’s only loss in their last 9 group games at the AFCON, but they have only managed two wins (D6).