In a tournament where the underdog has been one of the biggest stories, Cameroon showed why they are considered a powerhouse in Africa by beating Brazil to become the first African nation to beat Brazil at the World Cup.
The Indomitable Lions were behind most of the match against Tite’s men, but they managed to secure a victory when Vincent Aboubakar scored in the dying minutes of game time. The goal was enough to give Cameroon their first-ever win over Brazil at the World Cup.
The historic moment captured the attention of many supporters at the Lusial Stadium, with all focus on bare-chested Vincent Aboubakar. Who is he? Where does he play? Is he an African icon? Learn more about the Saudi-Arabia-based player below.
Vincent Aboubakar at World Cup
Aboubakar has been the unsung hero for Cameroon at the World Cup. After being used as a substitute in their first two matches, he was given a second-half start against Serbia and dished out a Man of the Match performance in an intriguing 3-3 draw. He continued to show his prowess against Brazil and finished with a goal in each match.
Aboubakar’s creativity and ability to read the game have helped him stand out from other strikers in Group. His teammates have praised him for his work rate and willingness to adapt to different systems.
Aboubakar made history by becoming the first African player to score a goal against Brazil at the World Cup when he netted a last-minute winner in a 1-0 win over Brazil on Friday night.
The Rise of Aboubakar
Vincent Aboubakar was born in the dusty northern cotton town of Garoua, 900km (560 miles) from the capital, Yaounde.
Aboubakar started his professional career with local side Coton Sport in 2009, scoring 15 goals in 60 appearances.
He featured in the 2010 World Cup for Cameroon as an 18-year-old, scoring twice against Japan on his international debut. He made a substitute appearance in the final group game against Denmark and was also part of their squad at the 2014 World Cup.
Aboubakar joined Lorient in 2013, scoring 17 goals in 37 matches, before joining Porto in 2015, where he went on to score 58 goals and win two league titles over six seasons with the club.
Becoming Cameroon’s Legend
Vincent Aboubakar has been an exceptional performer for his national team. He is one of the most prolific goalscorers in the Africa Cup of Nations history.
In 2017, Aboubakar starred in the final of the 2017 AFCON, netting Cameroon’s second goal to seal a 2-1 win over Egypt and a fifth continental title for the Indomitable Lions.
In this year’s tournament, he scored eight goals, the best tally since 1998 when Benni McCarthy (South Africa) and Hossam Hassan (Egypt) got seven apiece.
