Patrick Mboma said on Friday he would happily sacrifice his African Nations Cup goal-scoring record bid if it guaranteed Cameroon won a third successive title.
The veteran striker, who will lead his team's attack in the eagerly anticipated quarter-final clash with old rivals Nigeria here on Sunday, has hit four goals in this tournament taking his career tally to 11.
Three more would take him level with the all-time record held by Ivory Coast's Laurent Pokou who scored six in the 1968 finals and added another eight in 1970.
"If we can win the trophy and I score three or four more goals then I will be the happiest man on earth," said the 33-year-old striker who plays his club football with Verdy in Japan.
"I can't hide the fact that the record interests me but I am not going to become an egoistic striker who cares only for his own interest.
"My ambition should not come before the expectations of millions of Cameroonians who are waiting for the trophy and not a personal record."
Mboma was recalled to the national squad following government pressure despite him being jettisoned by coach Winfried Schafer after a disappointing 2002 World Cup.
"It was great to be recalled to the national side and that enabled me to put behind me all the problems of the past. Now my objective is to help win the trophy for Cameroon for a record fifth time.
"It is a great honour for me to wear the green, red and yellow strip of my country. It motivates me more than playing for a club.
"The atmopshere in the squad is very good and I am confident for the future," Mboma said in an interview with the Cameroon football federation website.
The player also said there is a new mood of optimism in the team.
"In the beginning, I had the impression that only part of the team believed in final victory but today I am pleased that everybody has the same objective of winning the Nations cup trophy.
"All the players believe in the team's potential. That is very important because it is the players who have to be sure first about our chances."