Cameroon U17 Profile
Newly crowned UNIFFAC champions, Cameroon head to Morocco with the aim of reclaiming their lost title to Senegal.
The Cameroonians completed the Group B line-up after being crowned champions of the UNIFFAC region to set themselves up for an opportunity to lift the continental crown following their 2003 and 2019 successful runs.
How They Qualified
The former champions hosted the UNIFFAC Qualifiers in Doula which were held in February 2025.
The four-nation tournament involved Cameroon as hosts, Central African Republic, DR Congo and Gabon where the top two finishers being Cameroon and CAR secured their place in Morocco.
Enroute to qualification, Cameroon were ruthless in front of goal. They opened the tournament with a 9-0 rout over CAR, before handing Gabon a 7-1 defeat in their second game ahead of their final match against DR Congo where they put six past DRC who had no response in a match that concluded 6-0 to Cameroon.
History in the competition
Cameroon are one of the most successful sides of the competition with two titles to their name along with Ghana, Gambia, Mali and Nigeria who have the equal number of titles.
The Young Lions could make history by becoming the most successful side should they go all the way at the Morocco finals.
Despite carrying the favourites tag, they will draw lessons from their 2023 participation where they failed to make it past the group stages in a tournament that highlighted the growing competitiveness of the competition.
Key Players to Watch
Mafany Luma – Highest goal scorer with eight goals from the three matches in the UNIFFAC Qualifiers, Mafany Luma will certainly be eyeing the golden boot accolade against the best teams on the continent, coupled with helping his side go all the way.
Junior Abou Lopez – Not only are they sharp in goal, but Cameroon also have the luxury of an acrobatic shot stopper in Junior Abou Lopez who will be guarding the goals in Morocco.
The goalkeeper kept two clean sheets in the qualifiers and walked away with the Golden Glove award.
Coach & Tactical Approach
Led by Alioum Saidou, Cameroon enjoy keeping possession of the ball with fast wingers that are troublesome for opponents.
They have a direct approach to their play with speed and quick thinking, resulting in a number of good goal scoring opportunities being created.
Tournament Expectations & Group Analysis
Before even thinking of a third title, the former champions will have to go beyond an interesting Group B that has teams with distinctively different styles of play.
Cameroon will be up against former champions Burkina Faso, Egypt as well as South Africa.
Burkina Faso – A strong contender for the title that is working towards reclaiming the title they lifted in 2011.
Egypt – Champions in the 1997 with a strong eagerness to end their continental drought.
South Africa – Runners-up in the 2015 edition in Niger, an exciting squad with plenty of promise looking at claiming its first African title.