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August 25 – Samuel Eto’o, the former FC Barcelona star and current boss of Cameroonian football, has rallied behind the embattled Infantino. FIFA President Infantino is under immense pressure to resign after he abandoned plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup. But in an interview with CNN, Fecafoot President Eto’o said: “I remain convinced that for us as Africans, this project was something that could have been incredible. It would have reset the balance of power in football to ensure that our talent doesn’t disappear and end up playing for other nations.” He hailed Infantino as an administrator who has helped the African continent develop and grow. Eto’o serves as a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which still supports the FIFA president. CAF has 54 member associations and thus 54 votes in the FIFA presidential elections which are scheduled for next year in Rabat, Morocco. Eto’o said: “Infantino has changed football. He’s given opportunities to nations that didn’t have those opportunities to take part in the most beautiful tournament, the World Cup. He enabled smaller nations to get seats at these competitions. He has helped our continent. He’s helped our federations to develop much more quickly, and we need to acknowledge that.” A former Chelsea and Barcelona star, Eto’o’s rise as a football official has been controversial. He came to power as Fecafoot boss in 2021, but has been accused of skimming money from multiple friendlies involving Cameroon. In 2022, he admitted to defrauding the Spanish treasury by disguising image rights income and, three years ago, accepted a suspended 22-month prison sentence. That same year, he kneed a football fan in an altercation outside Stadium 974 in Qatar after Brazil’s World Cup round-of-16 win over South Korea. In the spring of 2023, Eto’o controversially became an ambassador for online bookmaker 1XBET, telling his followers to “prepare yourself for non-stop excitement with mega bonuses, unlimited options and a safe betting experience.” Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at [email protected]