At just 19 years old, Christian Kofane has already proven indispensable to the Indomitable Lions. The Cameroonian striker for Bayer Leverkusen, expected to be one of the stars of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, is living up to expectations. Against Morocco in the quarter-finals, he will have another opportunity to make his mark.

In one of the highly anticipated matches of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, Cameroon qualified for the quarterfinals by defeating South Africa 2-1. As energetic and hungry as ever, the Indomitable Lions relied on their young striker Christian Kofane, who scored his team's second goal in the 47th minute, securing the victory.

"I am happy to bring joy to an entire nation. It's a child's dream come true. We will work to go as far as possible in the competition," he told Canal + Afrique after this qualification.

"An extremely powerful and fast striker"

Since the start of the tournament, the Bayer Leverkusen player has been making a name for himself on the world stage. On the third matchday of the group stage, he had already made a strong impression by scoring his first goal against Mozambique (1-2). He then joined his idol Samuel Eto'o in a very exclusive club: Cameroonians who have scored a goal in the Africa Cup of Nations before their 20th birthday. "My mind is racing. There are so many things going on. I'm just trying to enjoy it. I love playing football. I'm trying to improve as much as possible on the pitch," he responded with great humility.

In just a few months, his life changed dramatically. Born in 2006 in Douala, he was still playing for the Cameroonian club AS Nylon in 2024. At 18, he decided to move to Spain to join the youth teams of Albacete Balompié, a Liga Hypermotion (second division) team.

In a very short time, he has already established himself as an outstanding striker, scoring six goals in six matches. Interviewed by the Cameroonian media outlet CFoot, he simply describes this rapid integration: "In our academy (AS Nylon – Editor's note), we promote Spanish football. This means that upon arriving here, the adaptation is quick because from the ground up our coaches promote the Spanish style, teaching us the different formations."

His talent caught the eye of scouts. In the summer of 2025, he signed a four-year contract with Bayer Leverkusen, who decided to pay his €5 million release clause. Simon Rolfes, the German club's sporting director, made no secret of his satisfaction at the signing: "Christian Kofane is an extremely powerful and fast striker, with remarkable technique and a great understanding of the game. His strengths will enrich our style of play, and he has the potential to become an important part of our team in the years to come."

Unknown just six months prior, the Cameroonian told the Bayern Leverkusen website that he was living a dream come true by signing in Germany: "It's incredible for me to already be playing for a Champions League club after such a short time in Europe. I will give everything to seize this opportunity in the Bundesliga. Bayer 04's history is full of examples of young players who have achieved great things here."

A month later, he scored his first goal and provided an assist in a 4–0 away win against Sonnenhof Großaspach in the German Cup. And on October 1, 2025, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 1–1 draw against PSV Eidhoven, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the club's history in the European competition.

Calm before facing Morocco

His exploits have certainly caught the eye of the Cameroonian national team. Logically, he was called up by David Pagou to play in the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. It is against the host country that Christian Kofane will have the opportunity to make his mark once again in the quarter-final on Friday, January 9th. Without pressure, the striker displays his composure before this clash: "It's a great match. One of the best teams currently in Africa, but Cameroon is also a great nation. We're going to give our best and may the best team win."

Qualification or not, the Cameroonian is already on the radar of other major European clubs, including FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. According to Transfermarkt, his market value is now estimated at €22 million.