Onana under fire as matic clash, errors rekindle debate on African goalkeepers

Manchester United’s Andre Onana is back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons following a war of words with former teammate Nemanja Matic and a costly performance in the Europa League quarter-final first leg against Lyon.

Tensions escalated in the buildup to the match after Onana claimed United were “way better” than the French side.

The remark sparked a sharp rebuke from Matic, who played for United from 2017 to 2022 and now lines up for Lyon.

“You know, I respect everyone but to say that, you need to back it up,” Matic fired back in an interview. “If you are one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history, you need to be careful about what you say. If Van der Sar, Schmeichel, or De Gea said it, maybe I’d question myself. But you need credentials to talk like that.”

Ironically, Onana’s performance during the 2-2 draw appeared to vindicate Matic’s words. The Cameroonian was at fault for both Lyon goals, continuing a troubling pattern.

Since joining United in 2023 from Inter Milan in a £43.8 million deal, Onana has made eight errors directly leading to goals — more than any other Premier League goalkeeper over that span.

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While United manager Ruben Amorim attempted to deflect post-match criticism away from his embattled shot-stopper, pressure is mounting on the 28-year-old, with growing calls for him to be dropped.

Onana’s plight echoes that of Edouard Mendy, the Senegalese goalkeeper who once dazzled for Chelsea, helping them win the Champions League in 2021 while earning accolades including UEFA Goalkeeper of the Season and The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award.

Mendy kept 49 clean sheets in 105 games but was later sidelined following managerial changes and is now playing in Saudi Arabia for Al-Ahli.

Beyond these isolated examples, African goalkeepers have struggled to find long-term footing at the elite level in European football — a problem rooted deeper than club dynamics.

“The scarcity of African goalkeepers in top-flight football comes down to the lack of quality coaching, which is particularly worse in the goalkeeping department,” said Steve Dede, former Sports Editor at Pulse Nigeria.

“Goalkeeping isn’t something you can wing — it demands precision and expertise that young African players rarely get. Once in a while, a gem emerges: Enyeama, Onana, Mendy, Kameni, N’Kono. But they’re exceptions, not the rule, because systemic support for goalkeepers is too thin.”

As Onana battles public scrutiny and his own form, his story has become symbolic of a broader challenge facing African goalkeepers: immense talent hindered by systemic deficiencies in development and support. Whether he can bounce back and prove the doubters wrong — or follow a path similar to Mendy — remains to be seen.