The footballer once again proved his loyalty to the country that raised him. No matter how you pay for it.
Russian fans, even despite the absence of our team, have someone to cheer for at the World Cup. Gael Ondua, who plays for the Cameroon national team in Qatar, is the only player in the tournament who has Russian citizenship.
In addition, the Hannover football player has a very atypical attitude towards Russia for many foreigners. Gael, at every opportunity, emphasizes his great love for our country, which he once again proved in the first match at the tournament.
Cameroonian with a Russian soul
Group G’s opening game between Cameroon and Switzerland was midfielder Gael Ondua’s first in a major international tournament. Prior to that, he had only a few matches in the African team, which he spent most recently. At the same time, he is already 27 years old.
Such a late debut is primarily due to the fact that Ondua was waiting for an invitation to the Russian team. Although Gael was born in Cameroon, he spent most of his life in Russia, where he received a football education while studying at the Lokomotiv Academy. The player also has the citizenship of our country, which allowed him to play in the Russian team. But none of her coaches liked Ondua.
Several times Gael was offered to debut in the Cameroon national team, but he refused. Before the World Cup, Ondua still could not stand it and accepted the offer of the African team. He even helped the Lions qualify for the tournament in Qatar, playing in two play-offs.
“Ready 100%”
But even the choice in favor of Cameroon did not diminish the player’s love for Russia. Throughout his career, he publicly spoke many times about his warm feelings for our country. Gael speaks excellent Russian and leads social networks in the great and mighty.
Before the match with Switzerland, Ondua shared a new outfit with the audience. He posted a photo of his brightly colored boots on social media. The flags of two countries – Russia and Cameroon – were applied to the shoes.
https://t.me/ondua29/424
The chance to carry the Russian flag on the field fell to him in the second half. Gael appeared on the field in the 66th minute, when the Cameroonians were already losing the score to the Swiss. For the remaining half an hour on the field, the Hannover football player failed to help his team turn the tide of the meeting.
Open video
Something bright Ondua was not marked, as well as his entire team. The Africans looked as expressionless as possible. As a result, Cameroon started the tournament in Qatar with a 0-1 defeat. But for Russian football fans, the main thing was not the outcome of the meeting, but the brave act of Ondua.
A Cameroonian guy with a Russian heart runs across the field in a World Cup match with the Russian tricolor on his boots. Another signal for FIFA: it is useless to ban Russia! And Ondua’s gesture is a resounding slap in the face to the officials who did not let Russia into the tournament.
