The time when Cameroon became the first African team to qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Cup, in 1990, seems decidedly far away... During their last two participations in the great football festival, the Indomitable Lions were eliminated in the first lap with a score of zero points. In 2014, in addition to the results at half mast, the adventure went particularly badly with a series of setbacks: a case of bonuses which delayed the departure of the plane, the altercation in the middle of a match between Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Benjamin Moukandjo , the nudge of Alex Song on an adversary.
This time is very distant but the doubts which surround the Cameroonian selection are still real. After the failure in the semi-finals of their CAN at home, Samuel Eto'o, who became president of the Federation, decided to replace coach Toni Conceição with Rigobert Song. Under the orders of the former defender, the Indomitable Lions achieved a real feat by overthrowing Algeria in the World Cup play-offs (0-1, 1-2 aet) after an evening during which arbitration did a lot speak.
With André Onana, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Karl Toko-Ekambi or Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, Cameroonians are not lacking in talent. But Song's tactician abilities are sometimes called into question, and the preparation tour in Asia turned into a fiasco with defeats in quick succession and without scoring against Uzbekistan (0-2) and South Korea (0- 1) which reinforced the doubts in the last straight line before the World Cup. Eto'o has set the goal: to become the first African team to reach the final of a World Cup. His heirs travel a long way.
Last non-European selection to have won the competition, in 2002, Brazil is every year a scarecrow figure then it generally ends up disappointing. Rarely, however, has the Seleção seemed as complete as the current team. Neymar, back to superb form with Paris Saint-Germain, and Vinicius, who has finally turned a corner at Real Madrid, will be the stars of a selection that also relies on Alisson, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta, Bruno Guimaraes, Fabinho, Richarlison or even Raphinha.
Beyond this impressive squad, Tite's men have made an impression recently with cards against Ghana (3-0) and Tunisia (5-1), two teams that will be in Qatar. The place of finalist of the Copa America 2024 (defeat in the final against Argentina) and the first place in the World Cup qualifiers in the South American Zone, without the slightest defeat, confirm the current form of the Auriverde, who will aim much better than their elimination in the quarter-finals of the previous edition, against Belgium (1-2).
Having managed to climb to the round of 16 of the last two editions, under the nose and beard of Serbia in 2018, the Helvetians will be keen to continue. Since she eliminated the France team in the round of 16 of the last Euro (before being knocked out by Spain on penalties in the next round), the gaze on the Nati is necessarily no longer the same.
Despite the change on the bench where Murat Yakin succeeded Valdimir Petkovic after the Euros, the dynamic remains positive and the band of Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka and Breel Embolo notably stood up to Italy twice to overtake the champions d'Europe at the head of the eliminatory group at the World Cup and thus win a direct qualification! Recent victories against Portugal and Spain in the Nations League testify to the quality of this team.
Eliminated in the group stage in its last three participations and again absent from the last Euro, Serbia dreams of reconnecting with its glorious past. To give themselves reason to believe it, Dragan Stojković's men will only have to think back to the qualifiers, which saw them overtake Portugal at the top of the group by finishing undefeated (a draw and a victory against the Lusitanians), or even their recent performances in the Nations League which enabled them to overtake Erling Haaland's Norway, Slovenia and Sweden to be promoted to League A. Aved Dušan Vlahović, official scorer for Juventus Turin, midfielder Filip Kostic , freshly recruited by the Italian club, or the midfielder of Lazio Rome, Sergej Milinković-Savic, this selection has talent to spare and should have a card to play in a group finally quite open behind Brazil.
Thursday November 24
11 a.m., Switzerland – Cameroon, at Al-Janoub Stadium, Brazil – Serbia, at Lusail Stadium
Monday November 28,
Cameroon – Serbia, at Al-Janoub Stadium, Brazil – Switzerland, at Stadium 974
Friday December 2,
Cameroon – Brazil, at Lusail Stadium, Serbia – Switzerland, at Stadium 974
And if it was finally his year? In any case, the PSG striker is doing everything for it. Already in great shape, the Brazilian's mind is totally focused on the World Cup and he has found a real radiant face in the game, whether at club or nationally. Between his back injury against Colombia in the quarter-finals of the 2014 edition, which contributed to the nightmare experienced by his country at home, and the early elimination in the quarter-finals against Belgium (1-2) during the previous edition, the Ney is certainly aware that the account is not there and that he must break the house this year to mark the history of the World Cup.
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