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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Cameroon’s World Cup Team

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Cameroon’s World Cup Team

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One of five African nations to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Cameroon isn’t a favorite with the bookmakers, but all eyes will be on the West African team if for no other reason than its iconic star player, Samuel Eto’o. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Cameroon’s World Cup soccer team.

www.cameroon-info.net
www.cameroon-info.net

1. Too old?

At 33, the iconic Cameroon player Samuel Eto’o took offense when his Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho suggested he was too old to play top-level football. Eto’o fired back calling Mourinho a “fool.” He’ll get to test his skills in front of the world next week in Brazil.

www.footballarchive.tumblr.com
www.footballarchive.tumblr.com

2. Not the oldest historically

Eto’o isn’t the oldest team member to ever play for Cameroon. According to The Economic Times of India, Eto’o’s countryman Roger Milla played in the World Cup at the “ripe old age of 38 in Italia 90 and went on to become the tournament’s oldest scorer at USA 94.”

www.commons.wikimedia.org
www.commons.wikimedia.org

3. Other top players

Other players to keep an eye out for on the Cameroon team include center-back Joel Matip, who will look to shut out opponent strikers, and Alex Song.

www.news.cameroon-today.com
www.news.cameroon-today.com

4. Not World Cup virgins

This is Cameroon’s seventh trip to the World Cup. It has qualified more times than any other African team, playing in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2010 and scheduled to play in Brazil at the end of this week.

www.newshopper.sulekha.com
www.newshopper.sulekha.com

5. But also not World Cup winners

The Economic Times of India reports that Cameroon has crashed out in the first round of every World Cup it played except in 1990, when it reached the quarter finals after winning its group, which included reigning champions Argentina.

www.newuh.wordpress.com
www.newuh.wordpress.com

6. First African team to reach quarter-finals

Although they don’t have a track record for winning, the Cameroon team does have the distinction of being the first African team to ever reach the quarter-final stage of the World Cup. They did this in 1990 when they lost to England in the knock-out round.

www.newuh.wordpress.com
www.newuh.wordpress.com

7. Playing on Friday the 13th

Cameroon is in the difficult Group A along with Mexico, Croatia and host country Brazil. They play Mexico in their World Cup opener, which takes place on Friday June, 13.

logodesignlove.com
logodesignlove.com

8. When else to watch

Their second game is against Croatia on June 18 and their final game in the set takes place June 21 against host country Brazil.

www.mlive.com
www.mlive.com

9. Group stage choke predicted

German manager Volker Finke is in charge of the Cameroon team. But even though he has “brought his quick passing, attacking style of play to the team, another group-stage choke looks likely,” The Economic Times of India predicts.

www.niilexis.wordpress.com
www.niilexis.wordpress.com

10. Past African National Cup winners

Cameroon may not be predicted to win in this year’s World Cup competition, but don’t underestimate the team forever. It has taken home four Africa Cup of Nations titles over the years, most recently in 2002.