Zambo Anguissa: Cameroon midfielder’s international exit sparks claims of a rift

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has unexpectedly announced his retirement from international football with Cameroon, prompting speculation in the country’s media about the reasons behind his decision.

The 30-year-old midfielder made the announcement in a statement published on his official Instagram page on Monday. He leaves the Indomitable Lions with 66 caps and five goals.

Zambo Anguissa’s final appearance for Cameroon came on 13 October 2025, when they drew 0-0 with Angola in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

Several of his international team-mates paid tribute to him in the comments below his announcement, including Michael Ngadeu, Danny Namaso, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Frank Magri, Devis Epassy and Collins Fai.

His decision has nevertheless raised questions in the Cameroon press. CamFoot described the move as him effectively “demissionne” – resigning – and suggested that it may have been made “un coup de tete”, or on impulse.

The outlet, which has been a prominent critic of Samuel Eto’o, also raised the possibility of a disagreement linked to the recovery of a “forte somme d’argent” – a substantial sum of money – which Zambo Anguissa is alleged to have lent to the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot).

CamFoot speculated that a dispute over that money could have contributed to a breakdown in relations and ultimately led to the midfielder being left out of the national team. The report presents the claim as one possible explanation for his departure, rather than an established fact.

Another theory mentioned by the Cameroon media concerns the physical strain caused by a series of injuries. Zambo Anguissa missed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations last winter after suffering fitness problems, and was also absent for four months during the 2025-26 season.

He was kept out from the end of November until the end of February because of a hamstring problem followed by back pain. The injuries are being considered as another possible factor behind his decision to end his international career.

Zambo Anguissa’s most notable achievement with Cameroon came at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, staged in his home country. Cameroon finished third after a dramatic play-off against Burkina Faso on 5 February 2022, drawing 3-3 before losing 5-3 on penalties after extra time.

His departure now leaves Cameroon with a significant gap in midfield as they prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign. Those qualifiers are due to begin during the next international window, at the end of September.

The retirement announcement came unexpectedly, with no further explanation of the reasons for his decision included in the information reported by the Cameroon media. The speculation around his future has therefore focused on the possible combination of off-field tensions and the physical problems that affected him over the past year.