Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana has retired from international football at just 26 years old.
The Inter stopper headed to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup with Cameroon and started the first game, a 1-0 loss to Switzerland, but was left out for their 3-3 draw against Serbia in matchday two following a disagreement over tactics with manager Rigobert Song.
After the disagreement, Onana flew home early as Cameroon crashed out in the group stages.
He has since taken to social media to confirm his retirement from the Cameroon squad, explaining in a statement: “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. I understood that love for this country is eternal and that commitment is non-negotiable.
“I remember how we watched the matches as a family.”
The statement continues: “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.”
He went on to state that Cameroon remains “eternal” as does his love for the national team, before thanking “those who trusted (him) and believed that (he) could add and contribute to this team”.
Former Ajax star Onana was capped 34 times for his country after making his debut in 2016 and helped them to a third place finish at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
He signed for Inter this summer after a seven-and-a-half year stay in Amsterdam that ended on a sour note as he served a nine-month ban for testing positive to a banned substance.
