Renowned French coach Claude Le Roy has been honored by the state of Cameroon.
As a special guest of the State of Cameroon at the 2021 African Cup of Nations, the former coach of the Indomitable Lions was elevated to rank of “Knight of the Order of Cameroonian Merit” by the Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency .
The Cameroonian Order of Merit is the second highest Cameroonian honorary decoration.
It was in 1985 that Claude Le Roy arrived in Cameroon and took charge of the Indomitable Lions.
That team he inherited, which had won the AFCON in 1984 a year earlier, was in full renewal since several players who had rendered proud services to the nation were retiring. Cameroon had to rebuild.
Le Roy quickly got to work and he could have actually won his first competition the following year at 1986 AFCON in Egypt. But The Indomitable Lions were defeated 5-4 in the penalty shootout against hosts Egypt.
In 1988 the glory year of Le Roy and Cameroon arrived as they won the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations.
Le Roy – who is also popular in Ghana having coached the Black Stars- has a big place in the history of Cameroonian football and on this Thursday, the nation paid tribute to him. He was received at the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic and was the host of the main collaborator of the President of the Republic. Minister Samuel Mvondo Ayolo received the veteran coach on behalf of President Paul Biya.
At the end of the interview, Claude Le Roy was made a knight of Cameroonian merit. Claude Le Roy gave his host, for the attention of H.E. Paul Biya, a signed copy of his book entitled “Claude Le Roy, a blond wizard”, published by Arthand editions, in May 2021.
Cameroon take on Gambia on Saturday in the quarter-final of the ongoing AFCON.
