Itto: Infantino has changed football

Paris (AFP) – Former Cameroon star Samuel Eto’o, who currently serves as president of his country’s football federation, has expressed his support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating that the Italian-Swiss official “has not committed any error,” despite the pressure he has faced over a project to introduce private sector involvement in FIFA competitions, which was later abandoned.

Infantino has come under intense pressure since the collapse of a project aimed at attracting private investments in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.

However, Eto’o rejected criticisms directed at Infantino’s leadership, arguing that the campaign against him was driven by political considerations ahead of the FIFA presidential elections scheduled for next year.

The former striker of Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Chelsea told CNN that “I do not believe President Gianni Infantino has made any mistake. I think the timing of all this is linked to the upcoming elections.”

Infantino’s plan, which reports suggested would have provided significant funding to FIFA’s 211 member associations, faced strong opposition from several continental confederations before ultimately being scrapped.

Nevertheless, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) earlier this month reaffirmed its “unanimous support” for Infantino, aligning Eto’o’s stance with this position.

Eto’o said, “President Gianni Infantino has changed football,” urging other African countries to support the Italian-Swiss leader, and added, “He has given opportunities to countries that did not previously have such chances to participate in the world’s greatest tournament, the World Cup. He has also allowed smaller nations to secure spots in these competitions.”

He continued, “He has helped our continent. He has helped our federations develop at a much faster pace, and we must acknowledge that. We must accept and recognize what has been achieved, and we should support him in appreciation of everything he has done so far.”