Qatar 2022: Christian Bassogog Talks Cameroon’s Chances

The countdown to the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup continues and preparations are heightening for all qualified countries, including 5-time African champions, Cameroon.

As a build-up to the world cup, sportglitz.com exchanged with winger, Christian Bassogog, pre-selected by Indomitable Lions’ head coach, Rigobert Song for the tourney that begins in two weeks.

Christian Bassogog, Cameroon’s most valuable player at the AFCON in Gabon 6 years back – believes that the indomitable Lions are not going to queue up on the launch pad in Qatar.

The winger who is currently at his prime and plays club football these days in Shanghai Shenhua, is one of few Lions currently active, to have played a FIFA competition before; that was at the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2017.

Quizzed on the chances of the Indomitable Lions making it passed the group stages, Bassogog sounded optimistic.

‘We have learned a lot from the last FIFA competition we played in, back in 2017, which was the FIFA Confederations Cup. It is certainly true that experience comes with great lessons.’

‘The new FECAFOOT president, Samuel Eto’o and coach Rigobert Song have emphasized that we aren’t just going to make up the numbers in Qatar, and I think the players know this deep down as well.’

Bassogog opines that the Lions have their cards close to their chest, as they target a knockout round ticket.

‘We have our chances in group G and we are ready to play our hearts out. I think we have enough quality to make it through to the next round of the competition. Our current FECAFOOT president and coach were active when we beat Brazil in 2003, and we can do it under their tutorship this time.’

Bassogog was making an allusion to the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Cameroon ended up as beaten finalists against France. The Lions drowned Brazil in the sound of African drums at the Stade de France Saint-Denis, courtesy of a spectacular volley from Samuel Eto’o.

Two years prior, Eto’o was part of the lads assembled by Jean Paul Akono who defeated Brazil via a 2-1 margin at the Sydney Olympic games.

Bassogog has been involved in some high profile games, but he is yet to face Brazil in his international career, a match he will relish.

‘There’s nothing as good as wearing the green, red and yellow for me. If given a chance by the coach, I will give my absolute best.’

At club level, Christian Bassogog has scored 5 goals and dished out 3 assists, totalling an involvement in 8 goals for fourth-placed Shanghai Shenhua, in the Chinese Super league.

Coach Rigobert Song called up 26 local players to camp on Nov. 2 to prepare for a friendly against Jamaica. Four players plying in Saudi; Fai Collins, Epassy, Aboubakar and Tawamba are the only foreign based players part of the camp, as the friendly scheduled for November 9 doesn’t fall in a FIFA window.