Sports: Top 12 Cameroonian Athletes On The International Stage

For the past decades or more, there are a host of sporting domains where you could find a Cameroonian athlete carrying the nation’s flag so high while making the nation so proud. Thus in this article, we are presenting to you the list of the top 12 Cameroonian athletes from all sporting domains who made Cameroon proud out there in the world.

12. Ndamukong Ngwa Suh.

Ndamukong Suh is a Cameroonian US-based American football player, playing in the National Football League (NFL) He plays as a defensive tackler for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football with Nebraska before he was drafted by the Detroit Lions second overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He has also played for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and the Miami Dolphins. He has played in two Super Bowls: Super Bowl LIII with the Rams and Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers. He won his first Super Bowl title with Tampa Bay in February 2021 by defeating the Kansas city chiefs by a score of 31-9.

11. Vincent Aboubakar.

Vincent Aboubakar, popularly known in Cameroon as Abouchou due to his performance at the last African cup of Nations held in Cameroon last year 2021. The indomitable lions of Cameroon’s prolific striker and Captain Aboubakar began his career at Coton Sport and later traveled to France in 2010 where he played in the Ligue 1 sides Lorient and Valenciennes. During his spell in France, he scored a total of 26 goals in 109 appearances. Due to his great performances in the Ligue one in France, he attracted the attention of FC Porto who later moved to Portugal in 2014. While in Porto, he scored 58 goals in 125 appearances, winning the Primera title. He has also played in European clubs such as Besiktas in Turkey where he won the Turkish super lig in 2017 and in 2021 while on loan.

Despite Aboubakar answering present in European football, he has also answered present in his international duties as a striker for the indomitable lions of Cameroon. Started his international duties for Cameroon in May 2010 and so far has earned 90 caps for the indomitable lions of Cameroon. He has featured in 2010, 2014, and 2022 FIFA World Cups with the latest being his most memorable as he leaves the tournament with 2 goals and 1 assist. His goal against Serbia in their second game of the tournament has been nominated for goal of the tournament as he also wrote history as the only Player to come off the bench to score a goal and provided an assist in a world cup. His goal against Brazil in the last game of the group stage went down the history books as it was the goal that put Cameroon on the map as the only African Country to have defeated Brazil in a FIFA world cup match. Aboubakar has also featured in three different African Cup of Nations tournaments (2015, 2017, and 2021) where he helped Cameroon win the 2017 edition as he scored the winning goal against Egypt in the finals. In the 2021 edition hosted in Cameroon, he emerged as the top goal scorer netting a total of 8 goals.

10. Carlos Kameni

Kameni was an instrumental goalkeeper for the indomitable lions of Cameroon, Espanyol and Malaga in Spain la Liga, Le Havre AC and Saint-Etienne in France, Fenerbahce in Turkey, and Djiboutian club Arta/Solar7. He become the youngest player to win the Olympic gold medal in 2000 at age 16. Before Kameni could turn 20, he has already represented Cameroon in two FIFA world cups and six African cups of nations.

9. Luc Mbah Amoute

Luc Mbah A Moute played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for teams such as Milwaukee Bucks (2008–2013), Sacramento Kings (2013), Minnesota Timberwolves (2013–2014), Philadelphia 76ers (2014–2015), Los Angeles Clippers (2015–2017), Houston Rockets (2017–2018), Return to the Clippers (2018–2019), Return to the Rockets (2020), He was PAC-10 All-Freshman of the Year in 2014 On the 22nd November 2017, Mbah a Moute finished with a plus-minus of +57, in a 125–95 win against the Denver Nuggets, making it the highest in an NBA game in 20 years. During which the Rockets defeated the Nuggets 93–36, he was a complete 5-of-5 shooting for 13 points in 26 minutes.

Mbah A Moute discovered two young talented Cameroonian basketballers by name Joel Embiid, the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft and eventual teammate in the Philadelphia 76ers, and Pascal Siakam, the 27th pick in the 2016 NBA draft who plays for Toronto Raptors in the NBA.

8. Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam is a Cameroonian National Basketball Association (NBA) player who plays for the Toronto Raptors. Born in Douala Cameroon, to Tchamo and Victoria Siakam, His father Tchamo, worked for a transit company in Cameroon and was also the mayor of Makénéné. Siakam moved to the United States at the age of 18 after being discovered by another Cameroonian NBA basketball player, Luc Mbah A Moute during his visit to a  local camp in his native town Bafia. In 2017, he was assigned to the G League which was previously called the NBA Development League as a Rockie. He led the team to a League championship and was named the final’s most valuable player (MVP). in 2019, Siakam helped the Raptors in claiming an NBA championship, and in the process, he was awarded the most Improved Player Accolade and became the first player to win both in the same season. In the season of 2019-2020, he was named NBA All-Star for the first time.

7. Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid is a Cameroonian professional basketball player, who plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Philadelphia 76ers. Born in Cameroonian precisely in Yaounde the political capital of Cameroon to a military officer father Thomas Embiid and a mother Christine. As a teenager, Joel Embiid played volleyball and football and was aspiring to play professional volleyball in Europe. He started playing basketball at the age of 15 and was later discovered as a talent by Cameroonian NBA star Luc Mbah A Moute in a local basketball camp in Yaounde. With the help of A Moute, Embiid moved to the united states at the age of 16 where he started professional basketball. On April 9th, 2014 Embiid was declared for a draft but later was sidelined for an injury that kept him out for almost 6 months. He later was drafted as the third overall pick and was selected to play for the Philadelphia 76ers after recovering from his injury. This made him the third Cameroonian-born NBA player after Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje and Luc Mbah-a-Moute, as well as the highest-selected player from Cameroon

Embiid holds the record for the most points by a Sixers player since Allen Iverson. He was named a starter for the NBA All-Star Game on January 18, 2018, and became the first Philadelphia player selected as an All-Star starter since Allen Iverson in the 2009-2010 season and the first Sixers All-Star since Jrue Holiday in 2013. Earlier this year during the African cup of Nations, he was interviewed on CNN if he will trade his MVP prospects for the indomitable lions to win the trophy he laughed and discussed his admiration for Cameroon and how badly he will want to see them lift the trophy.

6. Francoise Mbango Etone

Francoise Mbango Etone is a female track and field athlete. In 2004 she represented Cameroon in the summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, and in 2008 at the summer Olympics in Beijing, China in the triple jump category where she won the gold medal in both competitions. In the 2008 Olympic games, she set a record for jumping a distance of 15.39 m which stands as the third-longest women’s triple jump in history. As it stands, only 25 women have ever attained such a landmark.

5. Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou is a Cameroonian professional Mixed Martial Artist (MMA). He is currently the UFC heavyweight champion of the world. Ngannou hails from the western region of Cameroon in a small village called Batie. At the age of 26, he moved to Paris France to start a professional career in boxing. Upon arrival in France, he met Francis Carmont who introduced him to Fernand Lopez and the MMA factory. Ngannou started his MMA career in November 2013 and fought mostly in the French promotion 100% Fight, as well as other regional promotions in Europe. He compiled a record of 5–1 before signing with the UFC. Since signing for the UFC, Francis Ngannou has fought 20 times winning 17 of the matches and 3 losses. He won 12 matches by KO/TKO, 4 by submission, and 1 by decision. On March 27, 2021, Ngannou “The Predator” as he is popularly known obtained his first UFC  heavyweight title after defeating Stipe Miocic in a rematch at the UFC 260, and on January 22, 2022, he defended his title against Cyril Gane at the UFC 270 which he won.

4. Rigobert Song

Rigobert Song was a monumental player for the indomitable lions of Cameroon With 137 appearances, Song holds the record of the most capped player in the history of the Cameroon national team and has played in four World Cups, in 1994 which he was the youngest player, 1998, 2002 and 2010.
He has played for Metz, Lens, Liverpool, Westham, Galatasaray, ans Trapzonspur .
Song won AFCON with Cameroon twice (2000/2002) and emerged as runner-up at the Confederations cup in 2003 which saw the tragic demise of Cameroon’s midfielder Marc Vivian Foe. Due to his stalling defensive ability, he was poised to be the real lion and depicts the true meaning of being an indomitable lion which gave birth to his nickname “Manyan” Retired from football and is now the head coach of the indomitable lions of Cameroon. He led Cameroon to their qualification for the just-ended 2022 FIFA world cup as a coach by defeating Algeria in Blida in what was known to be a controversial match. While at the 2022 FIFA world Song’s men created history such as the first African team to ever beat Brazil in a world cup match.

3. Thomas Nkono

Thomas Nkono is a former Cameroonian professional football player, playing a goalkeeper. He was regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers from the continent of Africa. He represented Cameroon 112 times and in the process, he won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1984. In 1990, he helped Cameroon defeat Late Diego Maradona’s Argentina in the FIFA world cup in Italy, a victory that surprised the world. Nkono was known for his unique goalkeeping style. A style that stood out for composure, confidence, instinctive, aggressive, flamboyant, and acrobatic goalkeeping. He was also known for his mustache and long track pants instead of shorts. It was because of his performance at the FIFA world cup, Italy 1990 that talented goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon was inspired to become a goalkeeper. Buffon idolized Nkono to the extent that he named his Son after him. He occupies the third position on our list of the top 12 Cameroonian athletes.

2. Roger Milla

Albert Roger Milla is a retired Cameroonian footballer from the 70s. Played as a central forward for the indomitable lions of Cameroon and other European clubs, especially in France. He was one of the first African players to be a major star on the international stage. In 1990, Milla age 38, was part of the squad that made history on the world stage and made Africa and Cameroon in particular proud as they became the first African nation to ever attain the Quarterfinals stage of a FIFA world cup. Milla ended the tournament that year with 4 goals and all 4 goals were scored as a substitute. It was at the world cup 1990 in Italy that Africa and Cameroon were put on the map of football. Europeans started recognizing African football.

At the 1994 world cup in the United States of America, Milla represented Cameroon as the oldest player at the age of 42 years. He ended the tournament with one goal and became the oldest player to score a goal in a FIFA world cup competition.

Milla is well known for his iconic celebration dance style which he runs to the corner of the football field and dances after scoring a goal. The dance style was known as the “Lambada” dance which later gave birth to so many other goal celebration styles recently. Milla has been recognized as the founder of the many uncommon and innovative goal celebrations seen since then. Roger Milla was named by Pele in 2004, in the FIFA 100 list of the world’s greatest living players. He was named by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as the best African player of the previous 50 years. He retired from football as Africa’s all-time top goal scorer in the FIFA world cup finals with five goals. This record was later broken by Asamoah Gyan of Ghana. This takes him the second position on our list of the top 12 Cameroonian athletes

1. Samuel Eto’o Fils

Samuel Eto’o is a retired Cameroonian football player, now president of the Cameroon football Federation (FECAFOOT). During his prime, Eto’o was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. He is also regarded as Africa’s all-time best player, winning the African Player of the Year Award a record four times in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2010. Samuel Eto’o holds the record for the top all-time goal scorer in the history of the African cup of Nations with 18 goals and is also Cameroon’s all-time leading goal scorer. He has participated in four world cups, and six African Nation Cups. During his time with the indomitable lions of Cameroon, he won 2 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2000 and 2002. In 2000 he won the Olympic gold medal with the indomitable lion’s Olympic squad in Sydney Australia. In 1998 he was the youngest player to play in the FIFA world cup in France

In the 2009-2010 season, Eto’o moved to Inter Milan where he became the first player to win two successive European continental trebles following his back-to-back achievements with Barcelona and Inter Milan

Eto’o moved to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala for a two years contract making him the world’s most-paid football player with an annual salary of 20 million euros per season. On 7 September 2019, Eto’o announced his retirement from football on 11 December 2021 he was elected President of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT). He was also appointed Ambassador of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This makes him number one among our top 12 Cameroonian athletes.