Exclusive - AFCON 2025: Paulo Duarte backs Cameroon and Burkina Faso | OneFootball

Exclusive Interview

Exclusive - AFCON 2025: Paulo Duarte backs Cameroon and Burkina Faso

With just days to go before the kick-off of AFCON 2025, several teams are making their ambitions for the title crystal clear. For Paulo Duarte, some names naturally stand out as favorites: Morocco, the host nation, as well as Egypt, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Nigeria.

But the former coach of Burkina Faso, Gabon, and Togo has a personal choice that he fully embraces: Cameroon. “Let me be clear: I support Cameroon,” he confides. According to Duarte, this squad combines history, pedigree, and talent—even if it is currently at a stage where some renewal is needed. The reason for his support is clear to the Portuguese tactician: Samuel Eto’o:

For the current Guinea coach, having such a demanding leader at the helm of Cameroonian football is a decisive asset for the national team. But Paulo Duarte also adds a sentimental choice: Burkina Faso:

The tournament kicks off on December 21, 2025, with the Morocco-Comoros match. Cameroon is placed in Group F alongside Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Mozambique. As for Burkina Faso, they will compete in Group E with Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan.