Samuel Eto’o, a former Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Chelsea striker, has been elected president of the Cameroon Football Association.
During the election, which took place on Saturday, December 11, the former Cameroon international received 43 votes from members of FECAFOOT’s general assembly. He defeated Seidou Mbombo Njoya, the interim president of the country’s football federation (Fecafoot), by a vote of 43 to 31.
The 40-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest players in the country’s history, having scored 56 goals in 118 international appearances. Eto’o was also named African Footballer of the Year four times.
Eto’o responded to the news on Instagram, writing, ‘I’ll remember today as one of the proudest moments of my life.’
‘I’m deeply grateful to be elected as the new president of @fecafootofficiel.
‘Every single vote represents the energy and ambition of our football family to take our beloved sport to a level we’ve never seen before. Let’s get to work.’
Eto’o has promised a slew of reforms to help the sport thrive in the country, including the construction of at least ten stadiums during his tenure.
According to the BBC, Eto’o stated, ‘We have to put footballers at the center of our policies.’
‘It is our responsibility to ensure that those who participate in this discipline make a decent living.’
Seven candidates were supposed to run in the elections, but five of them dropped out on election day.
His appointment comes less than a month before the country hosts the African Cup of Nations, which is scheduled to take place from January 9 to February 6.
