Samuel Eto’o backs Gianni Infantino’s FIFA re-election campaign

Samuel Eto’o has backed Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain FIFA president, saying the Swiss administrator has not done anything wrong despite growing criticism of his leadership. Eto’o made the argument in an interview with CNN Sports while defending Infantino’s record and urging football stakeholders to support him.

The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker, who leads the Cameroon Football Federation, said the pressure on Infantino was linked to the approaching election. He also connected the criticism to FIFA’s controversial plan to sell private stakes in its tournaments, an initiative that was later abandoned.

Eto’o credited Infantino with widening access to the World Cup and creating more opportunities for countries that had previously struggled to reach the competition. He said the FIFA president’s policies had also helped smaller nations and African football federations advance their development more quickly.

Infantino has faced opposition from several major football bodies, including UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation. Those organisations have been associated with calls for him to leave office following the dispute over the proposed private investment arrangements.

Eto’o’s position is consistent with that of the Confederation of African Football, which has reaffirmed its support for Infantino. CAF’s backing gives the FIFA president an important bloc of votes as he prepares for the next election.

Eto’o said Infantino’s contribution to Africa and to federations with fewer resources should be recognised. His intervention places one of the continent’s leading football administrators behind the FIFA president as criticism continues over both the investment proposal and the political contest surrounding the election.