Should Samuel Eto’o be held responsible for Cameroon’s AFCON 2025 disappointment?

Cameroon’s journey at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco came to an end in the quarter-finals following defeat to the host nation.

The early exit has triggered widespread scrutiny of football leadership in the Central African nation, with Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), positioned at the centre of the conversation.

Many fans and analysts now ask: Is Eto’o responsible for the Indomitable Lions’ struggles?

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Rather than benefitting from a stable buildup, Cameroon’s preparation for AFCON was overshadowed by administrative conflict.

A long-running power struggle emerged between FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sports over technical decision-making.

In April 2024, the ministry installed Belgian coach Marc Brys as head coach. FECAFOOT, under Eto’o, rejected the decision, plunging the national setup into uncertainty.

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This dispute dragged on for months before Brys was eventually dismissed and replaced by local coach David Pagou just weeks before the tournament.

The late technical shift robbed the team of consistency, forcing players to adapt to a new tactical philosophy when they should have been fine-tuning. Few national sides experience such upheaval so close to a major international competition.

Perhaps the most damaging storyline revolved around the omission of key senior players. André Onana, Vincent Aboubakar, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, four of the team’s most experienced leaders, were left out of the final squad.

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This decision was highly controversial because an earlier list, believed to have been prepared by Brys, included most of these players.

The parallel existence of two squad lists, one from FECAFOOT and one from the technical team, revealed deep fractures in governance and raised questions about who truly controls football decisions in Cameroon.

Marc Brys publicly suggested that Eto’o influenced the player selection process and argued that excluding major locker-room leaders undermined Cameroon’s competitive strength. Fans echoed similar frustrations, insisting that no tournament-ready team voluntarily leaves out its most seasoned performers.

Eto’o’s tenure at FECAFOOT has been marked by high ambition but also heavy criticism. His leadership has frequently attracted controversy, with many arguing that his influence extends too far into technical matters traditionally handled by coaches.

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The federation has faced internal divisions, public protests and accusations of personalisation of power. Eto’o has also navigated disciplinary issues, including fines and temporary bans issued by football authorities.

Within this context, AFCON 2025 was seen by many as a test of whether Eto’o’s increasingly centralised approach to management would translate to success on the field. The result has only intensified opposition voices.

Despite the distractions, Cameroon showed resilience in moments. The Indomitable Lions progressed from the group stage and eliminated South Africa in the Round of 16. However, the quarter-final defeat to Morocco exposed limitations.

The team struggled to create chances, lacked cohesion, and appeared tactically uncertain – signs that preparation had not been optimal.

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Many observers argue that while the players fought hard, off-field chaos handicapped their chances from the outset.

Assigning blame in sport is rarely straightforward. Eto’o’s influence over coaching appointments, squad selection conflicts, and public power struggles undeniably contributed to instability around the team.

Those decisions, particularly the dismissal of Brys and the omission of key veterans, had tangible consequences on preparation, morale and on-field chemistry.

Yet it is also fair to acknowledge that Cameroon’s football issues did not begin with Eto’o.

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The country has long wrestled with federational power disputes, government interference and inconsistent investment in long-term development. These systemic weaknesses predate his presidency and continue to constrain progress.

Samuel Eto’o’s administration at FECAFOOT has ushered in energy, confidence and ambition, but also turbulence, controversy and division. His decision-making, from coaching changes to squad politics, played a notable role in shaping the trajectory of Cameroon’s AFCON 2025 campaign.

However, to attribute the nation’s exit solely to Eto’o would be to overlook the deeper and longstanding governance challenges that have affected Cameroonian football for decades.

Ultimately, the debate surrounding Eto’o reflects broader questions facing African football governance: Where should leadership stop and technical control begin, and how do federations balance authority with stability?

As Cameroon seeks to rebuild, the answers to those questions may shape its football future more than the outcome of a single tournament.