Joël Matip’s story with Cameroon did not unfold as both parties would have wished. The Liverpool defender has not wanted to play with the Indomitable Lions since the 2014 World Cup, and Aurélien Chedjou, former Cameroonian international, has recently made some revelations.
Like Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Joël Matip, who held German nationality, decided to opt for Cameroon as his sporting nationality. However, the central defender quickly realized he had made a career misstep, as things are vastly different in Cameroon compared to what he was accustomed to in Europe.
Various coaches came and went at the helm of the Indomitable Lions, but Joël Matip remained steadfast in his decision not to return to the Cameroonian national team. Even before the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Cameroonian legend Roger Milla was willing to do anything for his return to the squad, but the former Schalke 04 defender did not relent in his refusal to rejoin the Indomitable Lions. “There are many players who changed nationality because they were threatened at their club. They kick you out or halve your salary. I’ll give you an example. I don’t blame my son, Joël Matip, who is at Liverpool. The president of our Federation, Samuel Eto’o, went with the coach to see Matip in Liverpool. They forced him in his contract to sign that he would no longer play for Cameroon. Is that normal?” Roger Milla stated in an interview with 90 Football. “I would like to go see the coach of Liverpool. If I have to kneel, I will kneel. Please, let Joël Matip come and play the World Cup with us. For me, a player who claims to be a great player and has not played in a World Cup with his country is worth nothing. Preventing you from playing in a World Cup is like ripping away your wife who is at home, beautiful, and has given you beautiful children,” Milla added regarding Joël Matip.
The unexpected revelation from Aurélien Chedjou about Joël Matip
Former Cameroonian international defender, who played for Lille, Aurélien Chedjou, understands why Joël Matip has consistently refused to make a comeback with the Indomitable Lions.
The Canal + Sport Afrique consultant during the 2023 AFCON hinted that Joël Matip couldn’t cope with the abrupt changes he observed when opting for Cameroon. He encountered problems during his time with the national team that he had never experienced before in Europe. “There was the language barrier. He tried to adapt. When he came to Cameroon, he thought it would work like in Europe. There are things that happen in Cameroon that don’t happen in Europe. I’m talking, for example, about missed flights, hotels that are not like in Europe. He’s a very great player whom I respect a lot. He can bring a lot to Cameroon. If he hadn’t had any problems, he would have played,” the former Lille player revealed on Balafon TV.
Nevertheless, Joël Matip (32 years old) stopped at 27 caps for the Cameroonian national team.
Leave a Reply