2024-04-28 22:40:23
Samuel Eto’o, the child from the disadvantaged neighborhoods of Mvog-Ada and New Bell who became a global football star, is not just a stadium icon. He is also a formidable networker, a master in the art of networking who has, over the years, built up an impressive address book. From Dakar to Moscow via Istanbul and Doha, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) has friends in very high places, as revealed on the front page of Jeune Afrique this Sunday, April 28, 2024 relayed by 237online.com.
Heads of state, club presidents, sports leaders… Samuel Eto’o has his entries everywhere. And he does not hesitate to rely on this network to advance his projects and those of Cameroonian and African football. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, he is close to both President Félix Tshisekedi and his opponent Moïse Katumbi, boss of TP Mazembe. In Congo Brazzaville, he is familiar with the presidential palace of Denis Sassou Nguesso. Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara receives him regularly, while with Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Andry Rajoelina (Madagascar), he discusses the promotion of football on the continent.
A George Weah-style destiny for Eto’o?
But do Eto’o’s ambitions go beyond the lawns? In Cameroon, many suspect him of dreaming of a destiny like George Weah, this other monument of African football who became president of Liberia. A hypothesis that the person concerned denies, even if he does not hide his appetite for politics. In 2018, his strong support for the re-election of Paul Biya also caused a stir.
It must be said that Eto’o has a very extensive network in the mysteries of Cameroonian power, from the president of the Constitutional Council Clément Atangana to the secretary general of the presidency Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, including the civil cabinet director Samuel Mvondo Ayolo and the boss of the ruling party Jean Nkueté. Links that make him a key player, well beyond sport.
A sports diplomacy that makes Cameroon shine
But it is above all on the international scene that Eto’o deploys his talents as a VRP of Cameroon. His aura and his interpersonal skills make him an invaluable asset for the country. His friendships with figures like Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA, or Joan Laporta, the president of FC Barcelona, reflect positively on the image of Cameroon.
And what about his role as ambassador for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a prestigious status that he shared with legends like Zinédine Zidane or David Beckham? A consecration for the one who also worked towards rapprochement between Qatar and Rwanda via the partnership between the latter and PSG.
In short, Samuel Eto’o is much more than a football star. He is a formidable sports diplomat, a treasure of influence for Cameroon and Africa. A charming asset that makes the green-red-yellow flag shine in the four corners of the globe. An outstanding ambassador of whom the country can be proud!