How Samuel Eto'o grabbed the chance of becoming the new Cameroon FA boss

Former Cameroonian international Samuel Eto’o was on Saturday elected president of the country’s Football Federation (Fecafoot) after polling 43 votes; beating the incumbent who managed 31.

The former Barcelona and Inter star, defeated Seidou Mbombo Njoya, who was elected in 2018, but his election was contested by several actors of Cameroonian soccer, and cancelled in mid-January by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The 40-year-old former striker had announced his intention to run for the post on September 22 this year, saying it was time to ‘launch the reconstruction of Cameroonian soccer.’ Eto’o said that the ousted president of Fecafoot had ‘failed miserably.’

Cameroon will host the final of the delayed phase of the African Cup of Nations – Afcon from January 9 to February 7, 2022.

Who is Samuel Eto’o

Arguably Africa’s best footballing export of recent times, Eto’o – Cameroon’s all-time top scorer – joined Spanish giants Real Madrid in 1996 at the age of 16 before loan spells with Leganes, Espanyol and Mallorca.

He signed a permanent deal with Mallorca in 2000, scoring 54 goals in 133 outings to establish himself as the team’s all-time leading scorer.

A move to Barcelona followed in 2004 where the former Cameroon captain won three La Liga titles, helping the Catalans to two European Champions League triumphs in 2006 and 2009, scoring in both finals.

In 2006, Eto’o became the first and only African to win the Spanish Golden Boot after netting 26 times in 34 matches.

The forward scored 108 goals in 144 games for the Nou Camp side before joining Inter Milan in 2009, where he won his third Champions League crown as well as a Serie A title and the Fifa Club World Cup in 2010.

Internationally, Eto’o helped the Indomitable Lions win two successive Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002 and went on to become the tournament’s record scorer with 18 goals.

In 2000, he guided Cameroon to an Olympic gold medal, scoring in the final.