At just 21 years old, Naomi Eto arrived at WAFCON 2026 to compete for the first time in the biggest tournament in African women’s football.

The player, who caught the spotlight during the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, has approached this new experience with a combination of learning and ambition that reflects much of the Indomitable Lionesses’ mentality.

The Cameroonian explained that she has tried to learn quickly, work hard and adapt to the demands of a tournament where there is very little time to correct mistakes.

The factor that changed Cameroon’s path

The Indomitable Lionesses arrived at the tournament surrounded by some doubts and, according to Eto, they did not have ideal preparation either. However, they managed to get through the group stage without suffering a defeat and showed they could compete against the continent’s top teams.

Unity within the dressing room became one of the team’s pillars, with starters and substitutes sharing the same experience and working toward a common goal.

The youngster highlighted the strong relationship within the group and a mentality that allows them to approach every match with confidence and optimism. The players support one another, constantly encourage each other and believe that on the pitch they operate like a true family.

Unfazed by the favorites

Eto admitted that Cameroon did not enter as the favorite, but made it clear that the team was not willing to feel defeated before the match had even begun.

The Cameroonian said the team trusted the plan prepared by the coaching staff and recalled one of football’s simplest rules: no match is decided before it is played.

For a player who is only beginning to discover the WAFCON, facing opponents of such stature also represents the realization of something many young Cameroonian girls dream about when they first start playing.

A generation that chose to believe

Her explanation sums up the philosophy with which the Indomitable Lionesses have approached the tournament: maintaining their identity, enjoying the experience together, following the coaching staff’s plan and correcting their mistakes without allowing their opponent’s status as favorite to change the way they compete.

In her first appearance on Africa’s biggest continental stage, Naomi Eto has discovered much more than a new competition.

She has also found her place within a group that turned outside doubts into motivation and that, from the start of WAFCON 2026, made it clear it was ready to give everything on the pitch.