Carlos Baleba may miss Cameroon’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Namibia after suffering a hamstring injury while playing for Manchester United.
The midfielder was forced off in the 51st minute of United’s 3-2 comeback win over AS Rome in the Champions League on Tuesday, holding the back of his thigh as he left the pitch.
Manchester United overturned a 2-0 deficit to claim an impressive victory, a result likely to provide some relief for manager Michael Carrick, who is under pressure. However, the concern surrounding Baleba’s injury could prove significant for both club and country.
Baleba had only recently been recovering from an ankle problem before joining Manchester United in the summer. There are fears that the latest setback could keep him out for an extended period.
The length of a hamstring recovery depends on the severity of the injury. A grade-one problem would be the least serious outcome and could allow Baleba to return within a matter of days.
A grade-two injury involves a partial tear to the muscle or tendon and would require at least three weeks on the sidelines, with recovery potentially taking as long as six weeks. The most serious possibility, a grade-three injury, could require a minimum of eight weeks to heal.
Cameroon manager David Pagou included Baleba in his squad for the first time since the midfielder played at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year. That return had been expected for the meetings with Namibia in the third and fourth rounds of the CAN 2027 qualifiers.
Baleba was not selected for Cameroon’s March fixtures after Pagou chose a changed squad. The Lions Indomptables did not play in June, while the midfielder was unavailable for the September matches.
His latest injury now threatens to prevent him from ending that international absence in November. Should he withdraw from the squad, Baleba would have gone a full year without representing Cameroon, with his next possible opportunity not coming until March 2027.
The midfielder’s availability is therefore dependent on the results of further assessment following the injury sustained against AS Rome. Both Manchester United and Cameroon will be hoping it is a minor hamstring problem rather than a more serious tear.