Samuel Eto'o casts his ballot in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Dec. 11, 2021. Cameroon Football Federation on Saturday elected football legend Samuel Eto'o to manage affairs of the football governing body for a period of four years. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua)
YAOUNDE, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) on Saturday elected football legend Samuel Eto'o to manage affairs of the football governing body for a period of four years.
Eto'o was elected president of FECAFOOT by 43 votes ahead of his close rival, outgoing federation's president Seidou Mbombo Njoya with 31 votes, according to results of the elections held in the capital, Yaounde.
"I'll be remembering today as one of the proudest moments of my life. I'm deeply grateful to be elected as the new president of FECAFOOT. Every vote represents the energy and ambition of our football family to take our beloved sport to a level we've never seen before," Eto'o said after the election.
He will now have to oversee the success of Africa Cup of Nations which Cameroon will host next year and also try to build the image of the country's football which has been damaged by recent scandals, James Yinkfu, football analyst who witnessed the election told Xinhua.
"We hope that he will use his experience and celebrity status to sell Cameroonian football and attract national and international investors in the game," Yinkfu said.
Other executive members will be elected by FECAFOOT General Assembly to work closely with Eto'o.
Samuel Eto'o is four-time winner of African player of the year. In his prime, he was regarded by pundits as one of the best strikers in the world. Enditem
Samuel Eto'o (L) reacts before the vote in Yaounde, Cameroon, Dec. 11, 2021. Cameroon Football Federation on Saturday elected football legend Samuel Eto'o to manage affairs of the football governing body for a period of four years. (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua)
