It is an open secret that football is probably the least of my concerns. I have always preferred that other game created by ordinary people and, unfortunately hijacked by the rich and wealthy: golf, if you care to call it that. ⛳
Yet on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, I found myself doing something I had not done in a long time: watching a football match.
I watched Cameroon take on Morocco in the semi-final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Perhaps my decision had something to do with Samuel Eto’o, a man I appreciate despite my limited enthusiasm for football. But, I am glad I watched the game. From the opening whistle, Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses looked dominant. They controlled large portions of the game, including much of the second half, and appeared destined for victory.
But Cameroon had other plans. With the clock running down, the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon kept fighting. Three minutes before the end of extra time, Michaely Biyina converted a penalty to bring Cameroon back into contention. Then came the penalty shootout-the cruelest examination in football. Biyina became extraordinary. She saved three penalties. Three. Yes three.
And with that remarkable performance, Cameroon secured its place in the final. What I witnessed was bigger than football. I saw determination when the odds appeared to be turning against the team. I saw resilience when defeat seemed increasingly likely. I saw teamwork, discipline and the refusal to surrender. For me, that is the real story of the Indomitable Lionesses.
Cameroon needs stories like this.
At a time when the country continues to wrestle with corruption, unemployment, inadequate opportunities for young people, poor urban sanitation and the everyday frustrations, moments of collective excellence matter. They remind us that difficult circumstances do not automatically determine outcomes.
Our young people are still searching for opportunities to fulfil their potential. Women, despite their enormous contributions to society and the economy, continue to fight for equal space and recognition. And while Cameroon’s men’s national football team has struggled in recent years to consistently live up to the country’s rich footballing tradition, its women have once again shown what commitment and collective purpose can achieve.
Congratulations, Indomitable Lionesses.
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