Andre Onana, the goalkeeper for Cameroon, was dismissed from the team hours before their Monday match against Serbia and will not participate further in the World Cup.
Last week, the Inter Milan goalkeeper started his country’s first group game against Switzerland, which was decided by a single goal from Breel Embolo just after halftime.
He had anticipated keeping his spot in the team for the crucial match against Serbia, but when team news started to emerge, He was a startling omission from the entire squad, not just the starting XI.
Onana and manager Rigobert Song reportedly had a falling out over the weekend, and it was ultimately decided that the 26-year-old should withdraw from the World Cup campaign.
When Song asked his goalkeeper to alter his playing style during a Saturday training session, it’s thought that things between the two got heated.
Onana spent years playing in Ajax’s possession-based team, with play developing from the back via the goalkeeper, after going through the Barcelona academy.
However, Song believed that approach did not work for Cameroon and asked Onana to be more direct and avoid taking any risks close to his own goal, preferring to see more “traditional” goalkeeping.
According to some reports, the manager’s suggestion did not sit well with the Inter goalkeeper, and the two reportedly got into a heated argument.
The Inter goalkeeper did not appreciate his manager’s suggestion, as some reports claim the two got into a heated argument.
Regardless, Song decided to start back up goalkeeper Devis Epassy in place of Onana in the starting XI after the argument got heated. Epassy has just five caps overall and is a member of the Saudi Arabian club Abha.
In addition, Song believed that with Cameroon’s upcoming match against Brazil, having Onana sit out against Serbia or the remainder of the tournament would not be advantageous.
Onana has already left the Cameroon camp and returned home from Qatar as a result. He will now join the Inter team, who is holding a small winter training camp with the players who won’t be competing in the World Cup.
Onana, who has 35 caps for his country, spent nearly a year out of the game due to a drugs ban after testing positive for the drug Furosemide, which he claimed was caused by taking his wife’s medication by accident.
