Thousands of Cameroonians gathered in Yaounde on Monday to celebrate the national football team after they won their first Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
The Cameroonian women were greeted by hundreds of supporters on the tarmac Monday upon their return from Morocco where they beat Malawi 3-0 in Sunday's final to claim the 2026 WAFCON trophy.
The footballers were swept up in the sea of Cameroonian flags, jerseys and phones held high to film their arrival.
The electrifying atmosphere spilled on to the streets of the capital, where thousands of people lined up on the sidewalks to cheer the players as they passed.
"At the start of this competition, the girls were calm, and their mindset carried them to victory. They deserved it," said Aline Mvogo, a 63-year-old housewife who was at the airport.
Cameroon's Indomitable Lionesses claimed the title unexpectedly -- they hadn't even qualified for the tournament until a decision taken in November to expand it from 12 to 16 teams.
Although visibly tired, the players beamed at the elated crowds of supporters who sought to extend the celebrations that began the day before.
On Sunday evening, the festivities continued late into the night in several districts of Yaounde.
Music, car horns and Cameroonian flags resounded throughout the city and accompanied the outpourings of joy in the streets of the capital after the final whistle.
"At the beginning of the tournament, I wasn't really following it. Little by little, I started to watch. I'm proud; I saw a strong and determined team," said Florence Manga, a 26-year-old communications student.
The players paraded through the streets of the capital on Monday, proudly displaying their first Cup, amid the cheers of the thousands of people lining the roads.
Cameroonian President Paul Biya, 93, currently in Switzerland, congratulated the "valiant, talented and intrepid Indomitable Lionesses" in a post on Facebook late Sunday, hailing the trophy won at the end of a "well-executed performance".
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