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Samuel Eto’o has pledged his support for Gianni Infantino, and said that he does not believe the FIFA president’s proposed plan to sell off part of the World Cup to private investors was wrong.
Infantino has faced heavy pressure to step down in recent weeks after being forced to abandon the proposal.
UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC — the confederations for Europe, North and Central America and Asia, respectively — are reported to be considering bringing a no-confidence vote against him.
But Eto’o, one of the greatest African players in history and now the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, said he believes the criticism is unwarranted.
“I don’t think that president Gianni Infantino was wrong,” he said in an interview with CNN Sports (via ESPN). “I think all these things are happening because of the timing.
“There’s an election coming up where Gianni Infantino is standing. All of this has happened because there is an election coming up. That’s all there is.”
Infantino’s proposal would have raised up to $20 billion in private investment, with each of FIFA’s 211 member associations standing to receive $20 million and a further $66 million over the next 12 years.
While many, like UEFA, have argued that football is “not FIFA’s to sell,” Eto’o suggested that this investment would help to level the playing field for countries who have historically struggled to produce and hold onto top-level talent.
“[The proposal] is even very good for the African nations, because it would allow us — should allow us if it went all the way through — to truly compete with the big nations,” he 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.”
The former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan striker referenced Kylian Mbappé, who has Cameroonian heritage through his father.
“We want to see the Messis, we want to see the Mbappés, but I would like to see Mbappé play for Cameroon,” he said. “I would like to see some Mbappés be able to grow here.”
