Samuel Eto’o elected president of Cameroon FA

Former Barcelona and Inter star will run the Cameroon FA for the next four years.

The election for the Cameroon FA presidency took place on Saturday. Eight candidates initially participated as candidates, but four of them withdrew on the morning of the elections.

The voters elected football legend Samuel Eto’o ahead of current president Seidou Mbombo Njoya with a 12-vote margin.

Eto’o has promised to implement new policies to get the country back on top of African football.

“We have to bring footballers to the centre of our policies,” he said afterwards (via BBC Sport). “It is our role to ensure that those who play this discipline make a decent living out of it.”

Eto’o is planning to build ten new stadiums during his four-year presidency.

“I’ve spoken to the business community and we’re certain we’ll get the right investors who can accompany us in fulfilling our goals,” the former Barcelona star said before the elections.

I’ll be remembering today as one of the proudest moments of my life. I’m deeply grateful for to be elected as the new president of @FecafootOfficie. Every vote represents the energy and ambition of our football family to take our beloved sport to a level we’ve never seen before. pic.twitter.com/2z8fjLBMLA
— Samuel Eto'o (@SamuelEtoo) December 11, 2021

Cameroon’s national television broadcasted the elections live amid claims of cheating.

“I will be the next president of the federation despite all the cheating,” Eto’o said when announcing his presidency a month ago.

Eto’o is Cameroon’s all-time top scorer and the most decorated African player of all time. He has won the African Footballer of the Year four times while winning two Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.

At the club level, Eto’o started out with a successful spell at Mallorca, which started in 2000. He scored 54 goals in his 133 appearances for the Spanish side, securing his place as their all-time top scorer.

A move to Barcelona in 2004 was the start of Eto’o’s fast rise to widespread prominence. He scored in two Champions League finals for the Catalans, winning both titles. He also won three La Liga trophies with the Blaugrana.

The Cameroon legend left Camp Nou to join Inter in 2009. He won another Champions League trophy in his first season at the club as part of their historic treble.

Eto’o will be in charge of Cameroonian football when they participate in this January’s AFCONs. The Indomitable Lions will play against Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Cape Verde in Group A of the continental tournament.