Brentford ahead Bryan Mbeumo says he’ll go “crazy inside” ought to he have the honour of beginning a sport for Cameroon on the World Cup.

The 23-year-old was known as up for the finals in Qatar, the place the Indomitable Lions face Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland, regardless of solely making his debut in September.

Having known as it a dream come true to contest soccer’s best occasion, Mbeumo would relish lining up for the anthems.

“I’ve always wanted to play a World Cup since I was young,” Mbeumo informed BBC Sport Africa.

“Just to walk around the pitch with a big crowd and other stuff would be amazing. It’s going to be crazy inside me.”

Cameroon will play within the 40,000-capacity Al Janoub Stadium, twice, and the 80,000-capacity Lusail Iconic Stadium, which hosts the ultimate itself on 18 December.

Mbeumo solely not too long ago selected to symbolize the central Africans after taking part in at numerous youth ranges for France, the place he was born, together with his change formalised just three months ago.

His father comes from Douala, the place Mbeumo nonetheless has “a lot of family”, with different kinfolk within the capital Yaounde.

Douala can be the house metropolis of four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o, who has led the Cameroonian FA since late 2021 and who performed a key function in enlisting Mbeumo.

Prior to the Avalon-born Mbeumo committing his future to the five-time African champions, the pair went out for dinner in Brentford’s dwelling metropolis London.

“It was an honour for me just to be face-to-face with him and talk to him because he was one of the best strikers in the world,” he defined.

“He told me about the project, what we can do and I enjoyed this moment. It’s a big thing for someone like him to want you in his team.”

Eto’o amassed 4 Champions League and two African titles throughout his distinguished taking part in profession, and Mbeumo says the previous Barcelona star is aiming excessive after Cameroon misplaced their Africa Cup of Nations semi-final on dwelling soil against Egypt in February.

Story continues

Family ties

Mbeumo describes the choice to discard his mom’s homeland for Cameroon as “hard and long”.

He grew up watching Nations Cup matches and says he is aware of Cameroon effectively, in contrast to some twin nationals who can have scant information of their adopted nations.

“As I played for France in the youth team and grew up in France as well, it was hard but I have travelled to Cameroon many times,” mentioned the softly-spoken Indomitable Lion.

“My dad is very proud, and very happy for me. I’m grateful to be part of this for him, and for my family, and he’s very happy.”

Mbeumo’s Cameroon debut got here in a 2-0 defeat by Uzbekistan earlier than a 1-0 loss in opposition to South Korea, with each video games in Seoul.

“These were my first games in [senior] international football, so I learned a lot. It’s a different type of game.”

It can be a special dressing room for Mbeumo, who was taking part in second-tier French soccer as not too long ago as 2019 for Troyes.

Accustomed to a buzzing Bees dressing room, he’s having fun with his time with Cameroon’s squad, who usually sing and dance en path to matches.

“In our dressing room, we love music as well and like dancing but in there, it’s unbelievable! So fun.”

There is severe music to be confronted in Qatar although.

Despite impressing of their first two World Cups – unbeaten in 1982, previous to turning into the primary Africans to succeed in the quarter-finals in 1990 – Cameroon’s latest report is poor.

In 15 matches relationship again to the 1994 finals, they’ve received simply as soon as – a good 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia (with Eto’o scoring) in 2002 – and misplaced 10, whereas conceding over 30 objectives.

Fast begin

For Mbeumo to spice up their hopes, the gliding ahead should speed-learn each worldwide soccer and the taking part in types of his new team-mates.

Cameroon have one ultimate warm-up match, in opposition to Panama on 18 November in Abu Dhabi, previous to their Group G opener in opposition to Switzerland on 24 November, with clashes in opposition to Serbia (28 November) and Brazil (2 December) to comply with.

The squad announced by former Liverpool defender Rigobert Song noticed Nicolas Nkoulou recalled after a five-year absence and Mbeumo amongst 11 gamers with 5 caps or fewer.

“It’s difficult because you are meeting new players, yet you need to create links between each other,” mentioned Mbeumo, who often gives probabilities at membership degree.

“It takes time and of course it’s going to be hard. I want good relations with my team-mates.”

He has joined Cameroon’s WhatsApp group to know the remainder of the squad higher, particularly since just one different Indomitable Lion – Swansea City’s Olivier Ntcham – is predicated within the United Kingdom.

While anticipating powerful video games from Switzerland – “very good job in the Euros” – and Serbia – “very good, very consistent” – Mbeumo doesn’t imagine Cameroon have to have gathered all their factors earlier than the ultimate Brazil conflict.

“I don’t think that’s the aim. We have to aim big, dream big as we don’t just want to be part of this competition – we want to do something.”

His phrases amplify the targets of Eto’o, whose placing prowess returned 184 objectives from 303 video games for Barcelona and Inter Milan.

In distinction, Mbeumo’s ending could be wayward, as emphasised by his hitting the put up eight instances final season, and he admits to asking Eto’o for ideas.

Both will hope these sink in as Africa’s report eight-time World Cup qualifiers attempt to attain the knock-out levels for under the second time.

A extra reasonable likelihood of silverware is available in 2024 when Ivory Coast hosts the following Nations Cup, a event Mbeumo additionally can’t wait to savour.

“Playing the Nations Cup is something very big in Africa, so it’s going to be very nice – I’m excited.”

With two main finals looming within the subsequent 14 months, it is fairly a begin for this newest Indomitable Lion as he roams afresh within the African soccer savannah.