Rio de Janeiro: Cameroon blazed a trail for African teams in the World Cup by reaching the quarterfinals in 1990. The exuberant performance of the Indomitable Lions, led by the irrepressible Roger Milla, is the enduring image of an otherwise dire Italia 90.
Twenty four years on, Cameroon have become the first African team to be knocked out of the quadrennial event in Brazil. The exit, which was confirmed after their second match, is ignominious as the Lions have shipped in nine goals, scoring only once.
Cameroon have travelled backwards after a forgettable show in 2010. In South Africa, they scored two and conceded five in three defeats. The numbers are damning in 2014.
The time has come to change the pet name of the country. Punching bags in successive tournaments carry the risk of being laughed at if they call themselves the Indomitable Lions. Maybe the king of the jungle isn’t a good omen in alternate names as the Three Lions have also been administered the bitter pill of first-round knockout.
Cameroon epitomised African malady by fighting over bonus payment even before the tournament started. Samuel Eto’o, the face of Cameroonian football, warmed the bench against Croatia and Brazil. The two-time Champions League winner with an elephantine ego is often cited as a troublemaker within the squad and his exclusion from the playing XI wasn’t related to his form.
Eto’o would be going home with no goals but he made sure that he got Neymar’s jersey after the Brazil match. What a fall for the pride of Cameroon.
Barcelona midfielder Alex Song, supposedly the leader of an anti-Eto’o clique, didn’t cover himself in glory either as he lashed out at a Croatian player to receive a red card. Maybe a fiery temper is in his family DNA. Rigobert Song, who has a place in the dubious list players with two red cards in the World Cup, is his relative.
Worst of all, Cameroon full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto tried to head butt his team-mate Benjamin Moukandjo in the dying minutes of the Croatia match.
It’s difficult to think of a more disastrous World Cup campaign. Cameroon have given fodder to people who look down upon African football.
