AFCON 2023: Panic hits Cameroon as Marseille star declines call

Called-up for the next TotalEnergies AFCON ( his first), by indomitable Lions coach – Rigobert Song, François Mughe has preferred to stay with club-side Marseille, L’équipe reports.

The EFBC graduate will stay at Marseille come January. Rather than honor his call-up for the Africa Cup of Nations (January 13-February 11) the young OM winger, 19, has snubbed the call-up to represent his national team.

Mughe who has just extended with Marseille until 2028 was present when training resumed on December 29, and he has since trained with his Marseille teammates, though an illness caused him to miss one session.

After a day of rest on Monday, Mughe is expected to resume training on Tuesday, and he will not join the Indomitable Lions to camp in Jeddah, as FECAFOOT programed.

Rigobert Song already submitted a list of 27 players including eight forwards. However, the winger may have considered that it was preferable for him to stay at OM, where the offensive sector will considerably lighten up during the AFCON.

Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal), Amine Harit and Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco) will all make the trip to Cote D’Ivoire for their various teams, and Mughe, who has played little since the start of the season (seven appearances including two as a starter in all competitions, with no goals), possibly thinks there’s a window to get his position as a regular.

OM has stated that the decision is a choice of the player, and that he has not received any guarantee of playing time. It remains to be seen how the FECAFOOT will react.

If there’s pursuit for disciplinary actions by the Cameroon Football Federation through FIFA, then the world football governing body will act.

Song was heavily reliant on Mughe especially given the absence of Brentford winger, Bryan Mbuemo.