Sports
77 Apply To Coach Cameroon
Former France, coach Raymond Domenech, World Cup winner Lothar Mattaus and ex-Wales boss John Toshack are among 77 applicants for Cameroon’s vacant managerial post.
Tidesports source understands that the Normalisation Committee which runs Cameroon’s Football Federation (Fecafoot) has received a high volume of applications to succeed Hugo Broos,
A Fecafoot official, who does not want to be named, confirmed the list will now be narrowed down to three ahead of the interview stage.
The new manager has big boots to fill after Hugo Broos guided Cameroon to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title before joining Belgian top side Oostende as sporting director.
Domenech, 66, who managed France at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, has come close to managing an African national side before.
Seven years ago, he claimed he was set to be named the Algeria manager but Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic eventually got the job.
Toshack, 69, was a legendary player for Cardiff City, Liverpool and Wales and, as a manager, won a Spanish league title with Real Madrid and led Swansea City from the bottom division to the summit of English football.
After managing teams in the footballing outposts of Macedonia and Azerbaijan, Toshack left Europe for a spell with Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca between 2014 and 2016.
Matthaus, who won a record 150 caps for Germany and led them to World Cup success in 1990 as a player, was named as the first Fifa World Player of the Year in 1991.
He was boss of Hungary between 2004 and 2006 and has also coached a number of clubs, including Austria’s Rapid Vienna and RB Salzburg.
The Germany and Bayern Munich legend has been out of management since being sacked by Bulgaria in September 2011.
Also on the list is Portugal’s Carlos Queiroz, currently in charge of World Cup-bound Iran and previously an assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
Queiroz, 65, managed South Africa between 2000 and 2002, but has had a topsy-turvy relationship since taking over as Iran coach in 2011.
Christian Gross ,appointed by Zamalek last weekend – has also applied, as has Wedson Witson Nyirenda, who is currently in charge of the Zambia national team.
Notable applicants like Patrice Neveu, Tom Saintfiet, Alain Giresse, Didier Six and Philippe Troussier have all worked in Africa.
Former Nigeria Coach, Samson Siasia has also applied as he plans to manage outside his country for the first time. Siasia was in charge when Nigeria finished as runners-up at the 2005 Fifa U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.
He led the country to the 2015 African U-23 championship and also coached them to silver and bronze medals at the 2008 and 2016 Olympics football event.
Cameroon has not yet set a timescale for finding a new manager, but whoever comes in will have at least a year to work with the team before the 2019 Nations Cup tournament starts on home soil.
Cameroon’s coaching job became vacant in February when Hugo Broos, who led the Indomitable Lions to a fifth Africa Cup of Nations title last year, departed at the end of his contract.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.
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