Michaely Bihina: The Goalkeeper Shining at Wafcon 2026

One name has become the toast of Cameroon following her heroics at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon). Some in the Central African nation are already calling for a statue to be built in honour of Michaely Bihina after her incredible performances, which have helped the Indomitable Lionesses return to the final for the first time since 2016.

The young goalkeeper has been one of the stars of the tournament, with player-of-the-match performances against Nigeria in the quarter-finals and hosts Morocco in the last four. Her decisive saves have not only propelled her team to the final but also secured a spot at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

A Historic Run to the Final

Bihina's journey to the final has been marked by record-breaking displays. In the quarter-final against Nigeria, she made nine saves, setting a new record for the most saves in a single match at the finals. That victory dethroned the defending champions and booked Cameroon's place at the World Cup, a moment Bihina described as "a great day for Cameroonian football."

"Playing in my first Wafcon and being able to beat Nigeria and qualify for the World Cup is historic," she told the Confederation of African Football (CAF). "I am so excited and happy that as a team we have achieved this. We had an objective - to change the history of our national team against Nigeria."

Cameroon have previously lost three Wafcon finals, all against Nigeria (2004, 2014, and 2016). Now they will face debutants Malawi for the continental crown on Sunday at 19:00 GMT. Bihina has been at the heart of the Indomitable Lionesses' challenge, keeping three clean sheets in five matches.

The Clutch Moment Against Morocco

The semi-final against Morocco was a tense affair, with few clear-cut chances in Rabat before the game went into extra time. Bihina's moment came late when the Atlas Lionesses were awarded a penalty after Cameroon defender Maryam Nyadjou caught Sakina Ouzraoui in the face with her arm. Fatima Tagnaout stepped up to take the 118th-minute spot kick, but Bihina dived to her right to push the ball away and send the tie to a shootout.

"When I saved the first penalty during the game, I said inside my mind if we go to penalties I think I can do more," Bihina said. "I have to catch minimum three penalties."

The Benfica keeper was as good as her word, saving efforts from Kenza Chapelle, Maryame Atiq, and Ouzraoui to help her team to a 3-1 win. "I studied the penalties of Morocco girls during all the competition," she revealed afterwards.

Bihina is widely considered a contender for player of the tournament alongside Malawi's Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa. Temwa leads the goalscoring charts with five goals and two assists, while Tabitha has four goals.

From Striker to Star Goalkeeper

Bihina was born in Ekounou, in the Nkoldongo area of Cameroon's capital Yaoundé, on 28 December 2003. She started playing football as a striker, but as she grew, her coach advised her to switch positions.

"My coach told me that I was too tall to be a striker and that I would do better as a goalkeeper," Bihina told CAF. "I did that and six months later I was summoned to the national team."

She joined Portuguese club Racing Power at age 15 and helped them win the second-tier league title in 2022-23. The following season, she was named the top flight's best goalkeeper as her side finished third. In February, she joined Benfica on a three-year deal, a move she described as "a dream come true," and she has already won a league and cup double with the Lisbon giants.

Now she has inspired her country to reach next year's World Cup in Brazil and progress to the Wafcon final, cementing her status as one of the tournament's standout performers.