Eto’o, Makoun quit indomitable Lions for good

Four-time African player of the year, Samuel Eto’o Fils and Jean II Makoun have confirmed they have come to the end of their international careers.

Eto’o and Makoun made the announcements separately after they failed to be shortlisted into the 25-man Cameroon squad for the AFCON qualifiers against DR Congo and Cote d’Ivoire on 6 September and 10 September in Kinshasa and Yaounde respectively.

Eto’o was also stripped of the captain band of the indomitable lions. Eleven other players who were part of Cameroon’s Brazil World Cup squad were also shown the door.

“I inform you that I am ending my international career… Thank you to all Africans, and to all my fans world-wide for your unconditional support,” Eto’o, 33, announced on his Twitter account.

Eto’o, who on Tuesday signed a two year contract with English Premier League side Everton, played just one match – a 1-0 defeat to Mexico – in his fourth World Cup campaign (1998, 2002, 2010, 2014). Capped 116 times, he won two Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2000 and 2002.

He is also the all-time leading scorer of the AFCON with 18 goals. He also keeps the record as indomitable lions’ top scorer with 56 goals. Perhaps his biggest achievement with the lions was the Olympic Gold Medal they won in Sydney, Australia in 2000.

Despite his failure to inspire his national team on the World stage he won trophies with all his professional clubs including 3 Champions League titles: two with Barcelona and one with Inter Milan.

Jean II Makoun, the ace Cameroonian midfielder who plays professional football with Rennes, France revealed his reasons to Jeune Afrique: "I put an end to my international career. However, I shall remain the first supporter of Cameroon ".

When asked if Cameroon’s catastrophic 2014 World cup performance influenced his decision to quit, Makoun replied that "my choice was made before the event”. He revealed that even if Cameroon won the cup he would still have resigned.

He added that “I was not summoned by Volker Finke for both matches (qualifiers for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations) in September, but if it was the case, I would have announced my decision to him".