Cameroon World Cup 2022 Predictions, Squad, Manager & Odds

After missing out on the last World Cup, Cameroon are back for Qatar, and the Indomitable Lions are flying on a bit of a high after an impressive showing and a third place finish at a home AFCON back in January. 

Who is the Cameroon manager?

They are led by national icon and former star Rigobert Song in the dugout, and he remains a darling of the nation. Always stylish and incredibly well-respected within the game, the former Liverpool and West Ham defender was promoted from the Under-23 set up in February after previously being an interim manager. 

On the pitch, Song gave absolutely no quarter, and it is an attitude which he is looking to instil in his players too - the coach will look to his team in Qatar to be aggressive, tenacious and without fear of any opposition. 

What tactics can we expect from them at the World Cup?

Tactically, it looks likely that Cameroon will set up in a 4-4-2 shape, although Song has experimented with a back three briefly of late. What we do know though is that however the shape ends up, the Indomitable Lions will execute a high energy pressing game off the ball, with a forward-thinking, direct approach when they win it back. 

This can be seen mostly when Cameroon have the ball at the back. Andre Onana of Inter is an excellent all-round goalkeeper, but his long passing range and accuracy is perfect for this side. They look to hit the front men early - using the height and aerial ability of Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim-Choupo Moting, before winning second balls.

Who are the players to watch for Cameroon?

In the middle, the anchor of this team is Napoli star Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa, formerly of Fulham. He’s absolutely crucial to the way that Cameroon operate both with and without the ball, where his industrious workrate allows him to both win back the ball in the centre of the park and his elite dribbling ability gives the Indomitable Lions real threat in transition.

Finally flourishing again at club level, Anguissa comes into this tournament in exceptional form, and if he can dominate in the middle of the park the way he has been doing in both Serie A and the Champions League this season, it will go a long way to improving Cameroon’s chances of getting out of the group. 

Who is favourite to be top scorer for Cameroon?

They will still need goals though, and the man tasked with grabbing them will be skipper Vincent Aboubakar. Aboubakar was top scorer in the Africa Cup of Nations in January, notching eight goals in seven games, and the man who recently claimed that he ‘could do what Mohamed Salah does’ if he was in an elite team will want to back that claim up by delivering on the biggest stage for his nation. 

Aboubakar is a major threat in aerial situations, but will also look to get in behind opposition defensive lines, and his performances for his country give Cameroon a real attacking threat that opponents will find difficult to deal with. 

How did Cameroon qualify for the World Cup?

He was on the scoresheet twice in Cameroon’s qualification campaign, which was no easy task. They pipped Ivory Coast to the top spot in their group, before seeing off the threat of one of Africa’s top-seeded nations in Algeria - a playoff game that saw incredible late drama with an injury-time in extra-time winner from Choupo-Moting sending Cameroon through.

What are the ambitions for this Cameroon team?

Cameroon FA President and footballing icon Samuel Eto’o says that Cameroon can win the World Cup, but the truth remains that getting out of a very tough group would be a real success story for the Indomitable Lions. 

Serbia’s host of attacking riches, Switzerland’s performance in the last European Championships and Brazil being…well, Brazil means that Group G looks one of the toughest in the competition. If Cameroon could usurp the two European sides to come runners-up behind Brazil, it would be a phenomenal achievement. 

Cameroon World Cup Odds

That Group is part of the reason why Cameroon remain at 500/1 to win the competition, but Cameroon’s direct approach, aerial prowess and ferocious pressing could well ruffle a few feathers and allow them to spring a shock. 

Cameroon World Cup prediction from oddschecker

Although they have some decent players to call upon, as a whole the Cameroon team lacks quality compared to the rest of their group. Brazil are the clear front runners for Group G but both Serbia and Switzerland will be knocking on their door for a place in the knockouts. Cameroon are the weakest by far in the group so we can’t see them getting out of it. A group stage elimination for the Lions.