By Martin Etonge BBC Sport, Yaounde

Mboma met Cameroon's sports minister in Tokyo

Striker Patrick Mboma has declared his willingness to return to Cameroon's national side for next year's Nations Cup.

Mboma, who plays for Verdy Tokyo, retired from international football on the eve of the Confederations Cup in June, after complaining about the poor treatment of players by the country's sports officials.

But a recent meeting in the Japanese capital with Cameroon's youth and sports minister, Bidoung Mpkatt, has provoked a change of heart from Mboma.

Mkpatt had accompanied state president Paul Biya to the country for an international conference on African development and took the opportunity to see the striker.

"I met with the minister in his hotel and he came to watch my game," Mboma wrote in an email to the BBC Sport website.

"I told him I was fit and waiting for a call to join the team. I want to play at the Nations Cup."

Mboma, 33, said he is waiting for a call-up from manager Winfried Schafer in order to rejoin his colleagues.