Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), has been banned from attending national team matches for six months following misconduct during a FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup match. FIFA, the global governing body of football, announced the disciplinary action on Monday, citing Samuel Eto’o’s “offensive behaviour” and violations of fair play principles.
The incident in question occurred during the round-of-16 match between Brazil and Cameroon on September 11, 2024, in Bogota, Colombia. Brazil won the match 3-1 after extra time, eliminating Cameroon from the tournament. While FIFA has not disclosed specific details about Samuel Eto’o’s actions, its disciplinary committee found him guilty of misconduct involving officials at the match.
Samuel Eto’o, who has been the president of Fecafoot since 2021, will now be barred from attending all Cameroon national team matches—both men’s and women’s, across all age categories—for the next six months. However, this suspension does not impact his role as Fecafoot president, allowing him to continue overseeing the federation’s operations and administration.
This is not the first time Samuel Eto’o has faced disciplinary issues. In July, he was fined $200,000 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for violating ethics rules after signing a brand deal with an online gambling company. Additionally, Eto’o has been involved in disputes with Cameroon’s sports ministry. Earlier this year, he criticized the ministry’s appointment of Belgian coach Marc Brys as the men’s national team coach, calling the move “illegal.”
The 43-year-old Samuel Eto’o, who is one of the most decorated footballers in African history, is Cameroon’s second most-capped player, behind Rigobert Song. Over his illustrious career, he won the African Player of the Year award four times and secured four UEFA Champions League titles with three different clubs, including Barcelona and Chelsea.
Samuel Eto’o’s conduct off the field has also raised concerns in recent years. In 2022, during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Samuel Eto’o was involved in a physical altercation with a man outside a stadium. The incident, which was caught on camera, followed a heated exchange between Samuel Eto’o and the individual.
As Samuel Eto’o’s suspension takes effect, the football community will closely watch how the situation impacts the leadership of Fecafoot and Cameroon’s national teams in the coming months
