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Previous appearances in finals: 5
Nickname: Les Lions Indomptables (The Indomitable Lions)
Best performance: Quarter-finalists in 1990
Coach: Paul Le Guen, a championship-winning coach with French side Olympique Lyon, took a short-term contract with Cameroon in July when they were bottom of their group. He proved inspirational, producing a big turnaround in attitude on the back of a desire to build a professional set-up around the team. His plans resonated with the players who responded by winning four successive qualifiers and booking their place in South Africa.
Captain: Samuel Eto’o
Key players:
Samuel Eto'o
Age: 28
Position: Forward
Club: Inter Milan
World Cup Finals appearances: 3 (2002)
Goals: 1
Eto'o has had a distinguished career including two Champions League winners' medals with Barcelona and double success in the African Nations Cup finals where he is the tournament's record scorer.
Jean Makoun
Age: 26
Position: Midfielder
Club: Olympique Lyon
FIFA World Cup™ Qualifier appearances (2006, 2010): 19
Goals: 3
Makoun is the driving force for Cameroon and has considerable tournament experience at three Nations Cup finals. A 14-million-euro ($21.07-million) signing by Lyon in 2008, Makoun initially made his name at Lille.
Geremi
Age: 31
Position: Right Back
Club: Ankaragücü
World Cup Finals appearances: 3 (2002)
Goals: 0
This tough and gritty defender has plenty of experience, gained in both the Premiership with Newcastle, and now in Turkey. He is a force to be reckoned with at the back, and is also an excellent go-to man for free kicks and penalties.
FIFA world ranking May 2010: 20
How they qualified: Four successive wins ensured Cameroon finished top of their group by four points. They had been in serious trouble with only one point from two games which led to two coaching changes in as many matches. The turnaround came when the team had to play neighbours Gabon twice in five days in September and won both games.
Prospects: Cameroon have a good chance of bettering their last-eight finish in 1990. They were a side in transition but now have a balanced team with exciting new prospects such as Alexandre Song and Stephane Mbia.
World Cup 2010 Squad:
Goalkeepers: Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor), Idriss Carlos Kameni (Espanyol Barcelone), Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Valenciennes), Amour Patrick Tignyemb (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Defenders: Jean Patrick Abouna Ndzana (Astres de Douala), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham), Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham), Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes), Aurelien Chedjou (Lille), Geremi Njitap (Ankaragucu), Stephane Mbia (Marseille), Makadji Boukar (Al Nahdha), Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco), Rigobert Song (Trapzonspur)
Midfielders: Marcel Ndjeng (Augsbourg), Enoh Eyong Tarkang (Ajax), Jean II Makoun (Lyon), Georges Mandjeck (Kaiserslautern), Joel Matip (Schalke), Patrick Mevoungou (Canon Sportif de Yaounde), Landry Nguemo (Celtic), Alexandre Song (Arsenal)
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport de Garoua,), Eric Choupo-Moting (Nuremberg), Achille Emana (Betis Seville), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan), Mohamadou Idrissou (Fribourg), Rostand Dorge Kouemaha (FC Bruges), Achille Webo (Majorque), Jacques Zoua (FC Bale)
Samuel Eto'o provides the sort of strength and penetration that has brought Cameroon their recent successes. (AFP)
Nickname: Les Lions Indomptables (The Indomitable Lions)
Best performance: Quarter-finalists in 1990
Coach: Paul Le Guen, a championship-winning coach with French side Olympique Lyon, took a short-term contract with Cameroon in July when they were bottom of their group. He proved inspirational, producing a big turnaround in attitude on the back of a desire to build a professional set-up around the team. His plans resonated with the players who responded by winning four successive qualifiers and booking their place in South Africa.
Captain: Samuel Eto’o
Key players:
Samuel Eto'o
Age: 28
Position: Forward
Club: Inter Milan
World Cup Finals appearances: 3 (2002)
Goals: 1
Eto'o has had a distinguished career including two Champions League winners' medals with Barcelona and double success in the African Nations Cup finals where he is the tournament's record scorer.
Jean Makoun
Age: 26
Position: Midfielder
Club: Olympique Lyon
FIFA World Cup™ Qualifier appearances (2006, 2010): 19
Goals: 3
Makoun is the driving force for Cameroon and has considerable tournament experience at three Nations Cup finals. A 14-million-euro ($21.07-million) signing by Lyon in 2008, Makoun initially made his name at Lille.
Geremi
Age: 31
Position: Right Back
Club: Ankaragücü
World Cup Finals appearances: 3 (2002)
Goals: 0
This tough and gritty defender has plenty of experience, gained in both the Premiership with Newcastle, and now in Turkey. He is a force to be reckoned with at the back, and is also an excellent go-to man for free kicks and penalties.
FIFA world ranking May 2010: 20
How they qualified: Four successive wins ensured Cameroon finished top of their group by four points. They had been in serious trouble with only one point from two games which led to two coaching changes in as many matches. The turnaround came when the team had to play neighbours Gabon twice in five days in September and won both games.
Prospects: Cameroon have a good chance of bettering their last-eight finish in 1990. They were a side in transition but now have a balanced team with exciting new prospects such as Alexandre Song and Stephane Mbia.
World Cup 2010 Squad:
Goalkeepers: Hamidou Souleymanou (Kayserispor), Idriss Carlos Kameni (Espanyol Barcelone), Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Valenciennes), Amour Patrick Tignyemb (Bloemfontein Celtic)
Defenders: Jean Patrick Abouna Ndzana (Astres de Douala), Benoit Assou-Ekotto (Tottenham), Sebastien Bassong (Tottenham), Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes), Aurelien Chedjou (Lille), Geremi Njitap (Ankaragucu), Stephane Mbia (Marseille), Makadji Boukar (Al Nahdha), Nicolas Nkoulou (Monaco), Rigobert Song (Trapzonspur)
Midfielders: Marcel Ndjeng (Augsbourg), Enoh Eyong Tarkang (Ajax), Jean II Makoun (Lyon), Georges Mandjeck (Kaiserslautern), Joel Matip (Schalke), Patrick Mevoungou (Canon Sportif de Yaounde), Landry Nguemo (Celtic), Alexandre Song (Arsenal)
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (Coton Sport de Garoua,), Eric Choupo-Moting (Nuremberg), Achille Emana (Betis Seville), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan), Mohamadou Idrissou (Fribourg), Rostand Dorge Kouemaha (FC Bruges), Achille Webo (Majorque), Jacques Zoua (FC Bale)
Samuel Eto'o provides the sort of strength and penetration that has brought Cameroon their recent successes. (AFP)
