At the center of Cameroon’s resounding performance till this stage of the AFCON 2025 stands one player. Carlos Noom Quomah Baleba is the midfield architect, dribbler and ball conjurer.
The wonder boy from Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League has conquered Indomitable Lions fan, dazzled Africa, made debate easy for analysts and seduced big football clubs to his pursuit.
If any wonder lingers on where he got his stamina from, the route is traced from Douala in Cameroon where his birth was recorded in 2004. His father a former footballer who played in South Africa coached the lad to beat daddy’ record. Baleba started at Futur Soccer FC in Douala and through the Ecole de football des brasseries de Cameroon, to Lille in France and then to Brighton and Hove Albion in the UK.
In performing signs and wonders for Hove Albion, Baleba fired a bulls eye shot outside the box in a 3 – 2 victory over West Ham United which was voted premier league goal of the month of April 2025.
Carlos Baleba started with the national team in a world cup qualifier against Cape Verde in Cameroon. He is always initiating and completing something of worth.
His Splendid game against South Africa earned him the man of the match award, serving as a birthday present and honor to his mama in heaven.
The AFCON is on course and Carlos Baleba is building on his legacy as a box to box player in the likes of Paul Pogba and Kevin de Bruyne.
His vision for an AFCON trophy seems big enough to keep the team alive in the competition.
Bennen Buma Gana