What You Need to Know
Cameroon’s former coach Mark Bresc received a €30,000 bonus for the team’s quarter-final run in the recent Africa Cup of Nations, despite his dismissal prior to the tournament. Current coach David Pagou, appointed after Bresc’s exit, has not received any bonuses, highlighting ongoing conflicts between the Cameroon Football Federation and the Ministry of Sports regarding employment authority.
Africa-Press. A report from a local source revealed that Belgian coach Mark Bresc, who was dismissed from his position with the Cameroon national team, received a financial bonus of €30,000 (approximately $32,000) for the team’s advancement to the quarter-finals of the recent Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, despite not having led the team during the tournament.
The bonus was granted by the Cameroonian Minister of Sports based on the terms of the contract he signed in 2024 with the football federation.
Interestingly, current coach David Pagou, appointed by the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o, prior to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, has not received any bonuses or financial rewards to date, even though he led the team to the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Morocco with a score of 2-0.
Reports suggest that while Eto’o’s decision to appoint Pagou was effective in practice, it was not reflected in legal documents, leaving Bresc as the official coach in the eyes of the Minister of Sports, who rejected the change.
This situation arises from an ongoing power struggle between the Cameroon Football Federation and the Ministry of Sports regarding hiring and firing authority, which has allowed Bresc to continue receiving his official salary despite his dismissal, while Pagou remains without any financial entitlements.
The Cameroon national football team has a storied history in African football, having won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) multiple times. The recent AFCON held in Morocco saw the team reach the quarter-finals, a performance that typically garners financial rewards for coaches. However, the dynamics of coaching contracts and bonuses can often lead to disputes, especially when management changes occur mid-tournament.
The situation surrounding Mark Bresc’s bonus reflects broader issues within Cameroonian football governance, particularly the tensions between the football federation and the Ministry of Sports.
