How Valentine Nguele inspired Cameroon to WAFCON final
A portrait of poise. Steady amid chaos. Unruffled.
Valentine Nguele has mastered the art of composure. One would say that it comes with the territory. To be the head coach of any national team globally comes with pressure and expectations but for Cameroon’s head coach Nguele, pressure is a privilege.
Cameroon, who are a continental powerhouse, have competed in every edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since the tournament’s inception in 1998 except last year. This exclusion was a wakeup call to all stakeholders that they needed to return to the top.
Of new beginnings…
The appointment of Nguele two months ago has since seen a hunger within the squad that had not been seen in many a year. The Indomitable Lionesses lineup for every match like it is a final. Right from when they stepped foot in Morocco, they have carried an air of focus and a seriousness that borders the fear that comes with extinction.
They have been precise, fought for every ball and allowed little or no time for their opponents to entertain any thoughts of a potential comeback whatsoever. Every single match, they leave everything on the pitch. With a mixture of the old guard and youthful exuberance, Nguele has found a balance within the squad that continues to display enviable team chemistry.
“The senior players facilitated the integration of the younger players by explaining the demands of the international level, the group's discipline, and the values of the jersey,” explains Nguele with quiet pride.
Midfielder Monique Ngock, who wore the captain’s armband after Collete Ndzana was substituted in the semifinal against Morocco on Wednesday, has been spending a significant amount of time listening to the legendary Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene who is featuring in a record eighth WAFCON.
“We are lucky to be surrounded by great players like Gabrielle Onguene, Gaelle Enganamouit and Ngo Mbeleck. It is a good opportunity because they give us a lot of advice and they try to put us on the right track,” the 21-year-old Ngock says in a grateful tone.
“This helps us to be confident, be ourselves and have the fighting spirit. That is what makes the difference. Each time that we come to represent our country Cameroon, we have that mentality. It puts a big mark on us young players. It brings positive and good energy not stress and anxiety. Their presence is important in our success as a team,” Ngock continues.
Overcoming past demons
The last time Cameroon were in a WAFCON final was 2016. A painful 1-0 loss to archrivals Nigeria saw their hunt for continental glory pushed forward. One can claim that they never recovered from that loss.
In 2018, Cameroon finished third in Ghana and were knocked out of the next edition in 2022 by Nigeria at the quarterfinal stage. Then, they failed to qualify for the next two editions – 2024 and 2026. However, when CAF expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams, Cameroon embraced the second chance opportunity and never looked back.
After their 2-1 win over Mali in their opener, they went on to edge Ghana 1-0 and become the first team to secure a place in the quarterfinals and the only one to do so on match day two. The other seven quarterfinalists had to wait for match day three to seal their places.
Their three goals in the two matches were scored by forward Ngah Manga - a prolific goal scorer who knows how to find the back of the net especially in one-on-one scenarios. Grace Mendoua’s lone strike was enough to record a draw against debutants Cabo Verde to conclude the group stages on a positive note.
Cameroon finished top of Group D having scored four goals and conceded just twice. With seven points, they set up a date with record 10-time winners and reigning African champions Nigeria. The only time Cameroon had ever overcome Nigeria at the WAFCON was in a third place playoff back in 2012 thanks to a Gaelle Enganamouit goal.
Nguele had called Cameroon’s qualification to the last eight “a bonus” but in retrospect, it was her own humble way of taking pressure away from her players. The Indomitable Lionesses embraced the ‘underdog’ tag and by the time the Super Falcons of Nigeria caught on, it was too late.
A Myriam Maéva Nyadjou cracker from an impeccable freekick left the reigning African Goalkeeper of the Year Chiamaka Nnadozie stunned. Nigeria tried everything but their fate was no longer in their hands.
Cameroonian goalkeeper Michaely Bihina whose nine saves denied Nigeria, went on to become an overnight global sensation. The 22-year old has officially entered the race for Player of the Tournament following her four penalty saves against Morocco in the semifinals.
For Nguele, this is testament of finding a balance between the team cohesion and individual brilliance. On their way to the final, Cameroon have effectively eliminated last year’s finalists including winners Nigeria, Morocco who finished second and bronze medalists Ghana.
“It's a feeling of joy and pride for a job well done. The feeling of making an entire nation happy. The collective joy in the locker room between the players and the staff,” Nguele explains.
The Making of Valentine Nguele
Four women have won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations now in its 14th edition. Clementine Touré from Côte d’Ivoire opened the way back in 2008 winning with Equatorial Guinea who became the first nation to deny Nigeria who had won the first five editions.
Nigerians Eucharia Uche and Florence Omagbemi inspired the Super Falcons to win the 2010 and 2016 editions before former South African captain Dr Desiree Ellis guided Banyana Banyana to their first ever continental title in 2022.
The big question on everyone’s lips is; will Valentine Nguele join this coveted group of African women on Sunday, August 16 when Cameroon take on debutants Malawi in the final?
“Reaching the WAFCON final is the culmination of at least two to three months of tactical and team work,” Nguele explains. “It's the tactical resilience and the incredible solidarity of the squad in the face of adversity. The players' intelligence in quickly assimilating tactical adjustments and applying the game plan with great discipline have stood out for me. The mindset and the willingness to play for each other.”
Considered one of the best coaches in Cameroon, Nguele has asserted her tactical astuteness within the team and the way that the team manages pressure have left her confident that they are building something extraordinary. “Above all, sharing these experiences as a team and insights is important to me,” she reflects on the past two months.
Nguele represented Cameroon internationally from 2000 to 2010. As a player, she won bronze with Cameroon at the 2003 African Games held in Abuja, Nigeria and competed at the WAFCON 2006 where the Indomitable Lionesses came fourth. Exactly 20 years down the road, Nguele will be contesting for the title in the final, this time on the sidelines.
As a player at Canon Sportif Filles de Yaounde in 1997, Louves Minproff de Yaounde from 1998 to 2000 before joining Lorema International from 2001 to 2003 and then rejoining Louves Minproff until 2010 when she retired, Nguele gave the game everything on the field.
As soon as she hung up her boots, she embraced coaching in 2010. The next year, she attained the CAF C License, then the CAF B License in 2015 and the CAF A License in 2023.
“Prematurely, I decided to end my football career and immediately transitioned into a new career. Driven by a passion for the game, the demands of high-level competition, and a love of sharing knowledge is what inspired me to join coaching,” she points out.
“From being a former international footballer, from theory on the training pitch to the national team bench, my path has been built step by step, shaped by hard work behind the scenes. Each step strengthened my methodological skills, including coaching youth teams in several training centers including APEJES in Mfou,” Nguele dives deep into her past.
As an assistant coach in charge of goalkeepers at Louves Minproff in the Cameroon Women's First Division, Nguele won the league an impressive eight times in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021. This meant that they entered the qualifiers for the inaugural CAF Women's Champions League in 2021.
Nguele has also lifted the Cameroon Cup six times in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2020. As a Regional Coach of Cameroon since 2012, she won the National Games four times in 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024.
As an assistant coach of FC Ebolowa in the Cameroon Women's First Division, Nguele won the Cameroonian league title in 2024 and 2026. This saw them enter qualification for a place in the prestigious CAF Women's Champions League.
“Football is a true passion. I love the moments I spend on the pitch everyday. My style is participative and engaging,” Nguele describes what coaching means to her.
And after 16 years of experience on the touchline both at club level and as an assistant coach of the U20 side back in 2021, Nguele has built enough exposure to compete with the very best in the world.
The semifinal victory over Morocco meant that Nguele orchestrated a masterclass historic win over Spanish tactician Jorge Vilda – the coach who led Spain to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 title – the reigning world champions.
If anyone had told Nguele back in 1997 when she started out as a player that 29 years down the road she would be leading her nation in the WAFCON 2026 final as the Cameroon head coach and also qualified the Indomitable Lionesses to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil, maybe she would have never believed it. Not even in her wildest dreams.
C’est la vie! That is life. Twists and turns in football are the ethos of the beautiful game.
On Sunday, August 16, Nguele has an opportunity to make even more history when she takes on Lovemore Fazili’s Malawi in the WAFCON 2026 final at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco at 20h00 (local time), 19h00 GMT.