World Cup 2010: Cameroon

World Cup 2010: CAMEROON

FIFA ranking: tied at 20

Overall World Cup record: 4-6-7

Coach: Paul Le Guen

Best performance: Quarterfinals, 1990

Overview: Just as Ghana relies on Michael Essien and just as the Ivory Coast counts on Didier Drogba, so Cameroon depends on Samuel Eto’o. The former Barcelona and now Inter Milan striker scored a team-high nine goals in qualifying and it is fair to say that without him the Indomitable Lions would not be indomitable. Le Guen was brought in halfway through qualifying when the team staggered momentarily. Two key players supporting Eto’o are Rigobert Song and Geremi, but the team lacks depth.

—Grahame L. Jones