Dr Claude Kana, a football historian, has weighed in on President Samuel Eto’o’s recent push to tap dual‑national players for the Cameroon national team. Kana praised Eto’o’s initiative, saying, “I fully support this approach.” He added that he has compiled a list of 71 dual‑national players active in European leagues who should be monitored closely to stay competitive on the international stage.
However, Kana cautions that recent events may dampen enthusiasm. He recalls the 2018 triumph of Cameroon’s U17 side, coached by Thomas Libih, which won the African U17 Championship and qualified for the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup in Brazil. Libih had called up six professional players—Eto’o Pineda Etienne (Mallorca), Tchato Enzo (Montpellier), Fotsou Dani (AS Roma), Konango Jordan (AS Monaco), Tiki Aurel (Lyon), and Djile Bryan (Saint‑Étienne)—to strengthen the squad.
During the Brazil camp, the six players were forced to leave after a presidential decree (No. 2014/384, dated 26 September 2014) was invoked. The decree’s Article 7, paragraph 3 states that “for U‑15 and U‑17 national selections, only players registered in competitions organized by FECAFOOT may be selected.” Kana notes that the regulation was originally intended to favour local development but has become outdated in the face of widespread European academy training for young Cameroonian talent.
“The decree was enforced, and the six players were removed before the World Cup began,” Kana said. “The law dictates who can be selected, regardless of sporting merit.” He questioned whether other measures—such as new decrees mandating youth squads in professional clubs or reinstating provincial selections—could address the issue.
“Logés dans le groupe E avec l’Espagne, l’Argentine et le Tadjikistan, le Cameroun a été humilié, a perdu ses trois matchs et fini la compétition dernier. Mais, le plus important était que le décret du Chef de l’Etat soit respecté, et il l’a été. Ces intrus ont été remis à leur place. La coupe du monde s’est jouée avec des petits, bien de chez nous et c’était le plus important.” — Dr Claude Kana
<small>Source: 237actu — read the original story there.</small>
