Onana Urges Cameroon Players to Honour 5-Star Legacy at AFCON 2025
Though absent from Cameroon’s squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, André Onana has made it clear that his heart remains firmly with the Indomitable Lions.
On the eve of their opening Group F clash against Gabon in Agadir, the Manchester United goalkeeper took to Snapchat to deliver a powerful message of encouragement to his teammates.
Onana began by reminding the players of the privilege they carry when wearing the national colours.
‘In a country like Cameroon, where talent overflows on every street corner, you are one of the chosen ones. It’s a huge honour to be here,’ he wrote, urging especially the younger debutants to embrace what he described as ‘a baptism of fire.’
The goalkeeper, who previously starred for Inter Milan and now plays for Trabzonspor, then spoke of the weight of history embedded in the Cameroonian shirt.
‘This jersey weighs a lot. It has five stars. Our elders wrote the first pages of the legend; today, it’s your turn to write yours.’
His words resonated deeply in a team that has lifted the AFCON trophy five times but is still recovering from a disappointing 2023 campaign and internal turbulence.
Finally, Onana reminded his teammates of the unbreakable bond between the Indomitable Lions and their nation.
‘When you run on this terrain, you don’t run alone. We are running for the 35 million Cameroonians who are counting on us to make our flag shine.’
Without referencing his own absence or the tensions that surrounded it, Onana chose instead to project unity, pride, and support.
