Cameroon goalkeeper, Andre Onana, will not be playing at the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar for now after being kicked out of the squad hours before facing Serbia on Monday.
Onana, who is the first-choice goalie of the Cameroonian national team, had a fallout with the head coach Rigobert Song over the weekend and it was ultimately decided that the Inter Milan shot-stopper should leave the World Cup campaign in Qatar.
The report added that things were believed to have gotten heated between Song and Onana during a training session over the weekend when the former asked later to change his style of play.
Following the imbroglio between the duo, Onana was removed from the country’s squad before their dramatic 3-3 draw with Serbia on Monday afternoon.
According to Daily Mail UK, the emotional dispute came after Song lambasted the shot-stopper for taking several risks playing with his feet during a training session.
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The coach had wanted Onana to play in a more conventional, risk-free fashion and was unhappy with the way the keeper advanced off his line to start attacks from the back.
Seems Onana adamantly refused to change his style of play so he was eventually cut off from the match and replaced with Devis Epassy, who conceded three goals in Serbia’s draw.
It was gathered that peace talks failed after Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o and the Cameroon Football Federation could not settle the dispute between Song and Onana.
However, Onana is returning home after being axed from the country’s World Cup squad.
The 26-year-old Inter Milan star is now officially leaving the Qatar tournament.
Reacting to the saga, Song said, “In a squad, you need to see discipline and if you can’t fit in with that discipline, with what’s required to be part of a squad, then you need to accept responsibility for that.
“We don’t question his ability – he plays for one of the top teams in Europe – but you need to ensure the team takes precedence over the individual.”
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