Cameroon Team - 2014 World Cup Betting
Best Finish: Quarterfinals, 1990
Manager: Volker Finke
Captain: Samuel Eto'o
Key Player: Samuel Eto'o (Chelsea)
Group A: With Brazil, Croatia and Mexico
After advancing to the Quarterfinals in 1990, Cameroon failed to get out of group play in 1998, 2002 and 2010. So they'll definitely be looking to break this trend in their fourth World Cup appearance in the last five tries.
Using qualification matches as a predictor of future success, Cameroon certainly has a chance to do well in their really tough draw. They dominated their preliminary CAF qualifying group (Libya, DR Congo, Togo) by going 4-1-1 (W-D-L). In their two-legged playoff against Tunisia, they played their opponent to a scoreless draw, then returned home and won 4-1. This victory put Cameroon in the 2014 World Cup and showed that they're for real.
The big advantages that this team has are their imposing physical presence and excellent endurance. This alone won't be enough to top the likes of Brazil, but it will help Cameroon keep pace with their group-play opponents. Another factor that will make this team a formidable opponent is their solid defense. Their back-line and midfielders are good at absorbing attacks and quickly countering.
When Cameroon does counter, they'll be looking to their captain, Samuel Eto'o, to provide some offense. While he may no longer be the same explosive force that he was for Barcelona and Inter Milan, Eto'o is still a threat to score. Moreover, he's a leader who could really set the tone and inspire his teammates this summer. Jean Makoun will be another player whom Cameroon will rely on for offense. He scored two goals in the Tunisia playoff route and could rise up to the competition in the Cup.
But from a broad perspective, many analysts don't think this team has enough consistent scoring punch to survive such a tough group. However, the defense and overall toughness that Cameroon displays will at least give them an outside shot of advancing out of a difficult bunch.