By Amaechi Agbo
Less than a month after he was sent out of the Indomitable Lions camp in Qatar at the 2022 World Cup due to disciplinary actions, Cameroon first choice goalkeeper, Andre Onana has announced his retirement from international football.
The Inter Milan of Italy shotstopper retired aged 26.
In a post he made on Twitter Friday, Onana told a short story of how he dreamed of wearing the Indomitable Lions jersey stressing that “however beautiful a story it may be, has its end. And my story with the Cameroonian national team has come to an end.”
“It all started in Ngol Nkok, a small village where, from a very young age, my family passed on to me the values that identify the Cameroonian people. understood that love for this country is eternal and that commitment is non-negotiable.
“I remember how we watch the matches as a family. Only Cameroonians can understand what it means to us to see the Indomitable Lions play. That’s when I started dreaming of one day wearing the national team jersey. And now, after endless hours of training, endless trips and a lot of perseverance, I can proudly say that I have fulfilled my great dream.
“But every story, however beautiful it may be, has its end. And my story with the Cameroonian national team has come to an end. Players come and go, names are fleeting, but Cameroon comes before any person or player.
“Cameroon remains eternal and so does my love for the national team and for our people who have always supported us no matter how difficult the moment was. My feeling will never change. My Cameroonian heart will continue to beat and wherever I go I will always fight to lift the flag of Cameron as high as possible.
“I will continue to support as a fan, just as the more than 27 million Cameroonians do at every match. I can only thank all those who trusted me and believed that I could add and contribute to this team. The nation first and forever”
Onana who had 34 caps in a six-year international career debuted for Cameroon in a 2–1 friendly win over Gabon in September 2016. He featured in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations third-place game against Burkina Faso.
On 9 November 2022, he was named in the final squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He played the first match against Switzerland, before being dropped in the second against Serbia, then he was eventually suspended from the tournament on 28 November, due to a disciplinary issue related to arguments about tactics with his coach Rigobert Song.
Onana announced his retirement from international football on 23 December 2022
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