Cameroon has surprised many by calling up Arnaud Mael Kandem to participate in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. The 25-year-old defensive midfielder plays for Sinop Sport Club, a team in Brazil’s sixth division. He replaces Brice Ambina, who is unavailable, and thus returns to a national team he has previously been part of at youth levels.
This call-up makes him one of the very few Cameroonian players in history to join the Indomitable Lions while playing at such a modest level. It is a bold choice by the coaching staff, who are betting on his profile and potential despite the unusual context. Kandem will now seek to seize this unexpected opportunity on the continental stage.
