Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation, has come to the defense of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, asserting that he has significantly transformed football. Eto’o believes that recent criticisms of Infantino are primarily due to the approaching FIFA elections, where Infantino is a candidate.
Infantino has faced increasing scrutiny, particularly following his now-abandoned plan to sell portions of the World Cup to external investors. Despite retracting this ambitious project, UEFA and other organizations have expressed a lack of confidence in his leadership.
Eto’o Attributes Criticism to Election Cycle
As calls for Infantino’s resignation grow from various national federations and football figures, Eto’o counters this sentiment. In a statement to CNN Sports, he remarked, “I do not believe President Gianni Infantino has done anything wrong. I think this wave of opinion is due to the fact that elections are approaching, in which he is a candidate. Everything has happened because the presidential vote is upcoming, that’s all.”
Infantino’s Impact on African Football
Eto’o praised Infantino’s contributions, highlighting the opportunities he has provided for nations that previously lacked access to major tournaments. “President Gianni Infantino has changed football. He has given opportunities to nations that did not have them to participate in the most beautiful tournament, the World Cup. He has allowed smaller nations to secure spots in these competitions,” he emphasized.
Eto’o also noted the support Infantino has extended to the African continent, stating, “He has helped our continent and federations develop much more rapidly, and we cannot overlook that. We must accept and acknowledge what he has done and support him for all he has achieved so far!”
Regarding the controversial proposal to privatize parts of the World Cup, Eto’o maintained that it would have been advantageous for Africa, saying, “Larger nations have occupied the media space. They have expressed their viewpoints, while President Infantino wanted to keep the football family united and decided to withdraw the project.”
“This privatization project would have been something incredible,” he reiterated, asserting that it would rebalance power in football to ensure African talent does not fade away to other nations. He urged fellow federation presidents to reconsider the project, saying, “Once President Infantino is re-elected, we will have the power to ask for this project to be back on the table for discussion. I am still convinced that if there is a democratic vote, the project will be adopted because it is beneficial for the majority,” Eto’o explained.
“In the end, those who have spoken against the project and shared their opinions did not read correctly what it was about and, in some cases, viewed it from their dominant position.”
