Former football star Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation, publicly backs FIFA President Gianni Infantino as Infantino faces mounting scrutiny and pressure to step down. Multiple outlets report Eto’o’s support for the embattled FIFA leader despite the controversy surrounding FIFA’s plans.
The dispute centers on FIFA’s World Cup-related proposals, including Infantino’s previously discussed plan to sell a share of the tournament to external investors. Outlet coverage indicates that critics point to the cancellation or backlash over the investor proposal as a key driver of demands for change at FIFA. Other former players, as described by one outlet, argue that change is necessary and call for Infantino to resign.
In contrast, outlets also note that Eto’o frames his support as tied to FIFA considering the “FIFA Forward” initiative. The Athletic and others say Eto’o hopes the “FIFA Forward Enterprise” (FFE) proposal is reconsidered and returns to the table, suggesting he views the controversy as linked to how the plans are handled rather than a case for immediate leadership change.
