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Cameroon coach Rigobert Song included Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana but dropped Bayern Munich striker Eric-Maxime Choupo-Moting when he named his squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
Onana, 27, had walked out on Cameroon after a row with Song at last year’s World Cup in Qatar but returned after a reconciliation with the coach to help Cameroon qualify for the Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast, which gets underway on Jan. 13.
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Choupo-Moting, who first debuted for Cameroon at the 2010 World Cup, paid a price for having missed Cameroon’s last three outings.
“Choupo-Moting is a very good player. But my staff and I want the continuity of recent times. He is an important player, but we had to make a choice in line with what we have been doing for some time now,” Song told a news conference as he named his 27-man squad.
Cameroon will be without Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo, who underwent surgery on his right ankle earlier this month.
Song surprised with the selection of 17-year-old Wilfried Nathan Doualla, who plays in the Cameroon league and has never been previously called-up.
It will be a fifth Cup of Nations finals appearance for captain Vincent Aboubakar.
Cameroon play Guinea on Jan. 15 in their opening Group C game before also meeting holders Senegal and Gambia.
Cameroon squad:
Goalkeepers: Devis Epassy, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, André Onana, Fabrice Ondoa
Defenders: Malcom Bokele, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Oumar Gonzalez, Harold Moukoudi, Tolo Nouhou, Junior Tchamadeu, Enzo Tchato, Christopher Wooh, Darling Yongwa
Midfielders: Wilfried Nathan Doualla, Ben Elliott , Olivier Kemen, Yvan Neyou, Olivier Ntcham, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar, Leonel Ateba, Frank Magri, Faris Pemi Moumbagna, Francois-Regis Mughe, Clinton Njie, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Karl Toko Ekambi