By Amaechi Agbo

Four-time African Footballer of the Year and global icon Samuel Eto’o has tightened his grip on Cameroonian football, winning a landslide re-election as President of FECAFOOT.

Running as the lone candidate, Eto’o stormed to victory with 85 of 87 possible votes, leaving only two null ballots in a show of overwhelming confidence from the football congress. The elective General Assembly of Fecafoot, held this Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the CAF Centre of Excellence in Mbankomo, confirmed his re-election for another four-year term. Unsurprisingly, the former Indomitable Lions captain, who stood as the sole candidate for his own succession, dominated the vote by a wide margin.

The mandate means the former Chelsea, Barcelona and Inter Milan forward  will steer Cameroon’s football ship for another four years, reaffirming his status as the nation’s most influential sporting figure.

Eto’o, already celebrated for transforming player welfare, domestic competitions and international visibility since taking the helm in 2021, now has a renewed runway to push deeper reforms, especially the professionalisation of leagues and long-delayed structural upgrades.

In a football nation demanding stability and ambition, the message from the ballot box was unmistakable, Cameroon believes in Samuel Eto’o. And it’s not done with him yet.

Arguably Africa’s best footballing export of recent times, Eto’o – Cameroon’s all-time top scorer – joined Spanish giants Real Madrid in 1996 at the age of 16 before loan spells with Leganes, Espanyol and Mallorca.

He signed a permanent deal with Mallorca in 2000, scoring 54 goals in 133 outings to establish himself as the team’s all-time leading scorer.

A move to Barcelona followed in 2004 where the former Cameroon captain won three La Liga titles, helping the Catalans to two European Champions League triumphs in 2006 and 2009, scoring in both finals.

In 2006, Eto’o became the first and only African to win the Spanish Golden Boot after netting 26 times in 34 matches.

The forward scored 108 goals in 144 games for the Nou Camp side before joining Inter Milan in 2009, where he won his third Champions League crown as well as a Serie A title and the Fifa Club World Cup in 2010.

Internationally, Eto’o helped the Indomitable Lions win two successive Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002 and went on to become the tournament’s record scorer with 18 goals.

In 2000, he guided Cameroon to an Olympic gold medal, scoring in the final.