Commentary: Indomitable Lions’ new year gift to the nation.

But by the time the games end, the Indomitable Lions could be the team the world will miss and bemoan most, during the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by three North American nations by midyear. 

The cumbersome, if not miraculous qualification for AFCON of the Lions, was rightly depicted in this column, before the games kicked off. This writer was categoric that qualification will be an opportunity for the Cameroonian team to surprise, if not shock the world. 

Because experience has shown that the Lions roar and prey most when you expect the least from them. It is happening now in Morocco, and surely the world is yet to witness the climax that is coming ahead.

After qualification

When it became clear that the Lions will participate at the ongoing games, this writer described the actions of Samuel Eto’o, President of FECAFOOT, as a painful surgical operation that was needed to open a new chapter for the team.

Sacking coach Marc Brys and appointing David Pagou, a Cameroonian to replace the Belgian, was categorised as one of the actions that highlights the need to reinforce discipline and team work in the camp.

Being a team sport, football requires discipline and productive collaboration of all actors for success to be achieved. Actors need to have the same vision, focusing on one goal and purpose, to bring positive results.

Where the leader is undermined; important stakeholders treated with scorn; and the coach has to beg for respect from players before they can perform, such conduct represents a drag or drain on output. 

On the whole, uncooperative conduct and indiscipline become a cog in the wheel hindering optimal success of the team and the game.

Also, where there are no clearly defined roles of key actors, or where there is constant interference by hierarchy, there will certainly be problems. 

The head of an institution like FECAFOOT is supposed to have a free hand in managing the material and human resources at his disposal. 

He should be able to count on people who constitute the technical bench and the coach so as to get positive results. Which is what we are presently witnessing in Morocco, thanks to Eto´s bold intervention.

Crossing the next hurdle

The next hurdle is for the Lions to beat Morocco on their home ground. The task anchors more on inculcating the right mental frame of mind. 

How the Lions are ready and able to cope with and overcome intimidation from the home crowd and actually play their game, is of utmost importance.

As we have often witnessed in the past, officiating will be sympathetic of the home team. Sending home the Atlas Lions would mean demoralizing the local population, which could cut down drastically on the number of people flogging into the field to watch the remaining matches. The ambiance and overall fanfare would be reduced.

Whereas, CAF wants more and more excitement, with the excitement and crowds growing larger and larger, as the tournament advances into its final games. 

So, the Lions have to take all these parameters into consideration, make the correct mental adjustment, so that they can rise above every challenge. 

Igniting the winning spirit

The Lions have continued to improve their performance after their first win over Gabon. Their appearance at the quarter finals with a 2:1 win over highly rated Bafana Bafana of South Africa, shows that the traditional fighting spirit of the team is working in favor of Pagou´s boys.

His response was affirmative to a question whether he has re-ignited the 2010 winning spirit of the team. Whereas, Cameroonians who have been following the team´s performance three decades back would rather want the winning spirit of the 90s and early 2000 to be reignited. 

If that be the case, we can expect the Lions to bring back at least a medal as a trophy to Cameroonians by the time the Morrocco bonanza ends. 

The question is whether it will be a bronze, silver or the cup itself. In their current determined form, bringing the Cup is within their reach. It is absolutely possible. 

Which is to say that there is no better new year present that the Lions can give the nation and Cameroonians than something juicy from the ongoing AFCON.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3666 of Wednesday January 07, 2026