This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2014 Experts’ Network, a co-operation between 32 of the best media organisations from the countries who have qualified for the finals in Brazil. theguardian.com is running previews from four countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 12 June.
Samuel Eto’o is unquestionably the star of the Cameroon team. He has the experience, having played in four World Cups, and the track record –two times champions of Africa, four times a Champions League winner, the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, etc). The eyes of millions of supporters all over the world will be on him. But the man in whom most Cameroonian supporters are investing most hope is not Eto’o, but Vincent Aboubakar.
The 22-year-old has never been a champion of Africa, Europe or even France, where he plays for modest Lorient. But he is starting to make a big name for himself. He was already well known in Cameroon, where he was a star for Cotonsport Garoua and, indeed, was the only home-based player to be included in the squad for the 2010 World Cup.
He did not feature in that tournament in South Africa but afterwards joined Valenciennes, where he made little impact during three years before being moving on to Lorient. Now, his performances during one season with Les Merlus have been so spectacular that there is talk of another transfer, this time to a far more glamorous club.
He finished the season in France as the third-highest scorer in Ligue 1, with 16 goals (and five assists) from 32 appearances and a host of man-of-the-match performances. He was shortlisted for the Marc-Vivien Foé Prize, which is awarded to the best African player in France.
Aboubakar was the main reason why Lorient progressed from being one of the favourites for relegation to finishing eighth in the Ligue 1 table. The manager, Christian Gourcuff, deserves a lot of credit for the collective force of his team and he has undoubtedly got the best out of Aboubakar.
“It’s obvious that he really needs to feel good,” said Gourcuff. “We noticed that immediately. He has to be full of confidence to perform.” Aboubakar now enjoys the full confidence of Cameroon’s manager Volker Finke too, who will most probably put him down on as one of the first names on the squad sheet for Brazil. He had announced as far back as February that Aboubakar would definitely be on the plane.
Aboubakar is also the one selection on which every Cameroonian supporter agrees. If he is on song, he will pose problems to the defences of Mexico, Croatia and Brazil in Group A. “Aboubakar has really improved his finishing skills and has developed real composure over the year,” explains Henri Manga, a Cameroonian coach. “His speed and predatory skills make him very important to Finke’s team, as does his ability on the ball. He is very dangerous. He is one of our best weapons and I am sure our opponents are aware of that.”
In case Cameroon’s group rivals were not aware of him, the striker served notice of the threat he posed when he scored a magnificent goal in the 5-1 friendly defeat by Portugal in March.
Arthur Wandji writes for Camfoot.com
