Eto’o trophy request sparks fresh power struggle in Cameroon

Samuel Eto’o’s request to present Cameroon’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy to Sports Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi has been rejected, raising fears of renewed tensions between the two men.

The president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) wrote to the minister on 18 August, seeking an audience after the Indomitable Lionesses won the tournament in Rabat on Sunday. Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 in the final.

Mouelle Kombi declined the request the following day, insisting that the honour belonged to the country’s president, Paul Biya.

The minister said: “qu’en l’occurrence, c’est a Monsieur le President de la Republique qu’appartiennent tant la prerogative que le privilege solennel de recevoir les Lionnes Indomptables et de se voir presenter le Trophee”.

He added: “Il lui reviendra (au president de la Republique, ndlr), conformement aux usages, de leur adresser les felicitations, au nom de la Nation tout entiere et, eventuellement, de les honorer, selon des modalites a Sa Tres Haute Convenance”.

Mouelle Kombi also pointed out that he had already travelled to Rabat as part of the Prime Minister’s delegation and had returned the trophy to Cameroon on instructions from the highest authorities.

The dispute has attracted considerable attention in Cameroon, particularly because Eto’o was largely absent from the team’s return to the country. Although he travelled back with the players, the former striker was not seen at the airport or during the parade in Yaounde. The trophy was later presented to him at Fecafoot’s headquarters.

That sequence of events has fuelled speculation that the difficult relationship between Eto’o and Mouelle Kombi could be deteriorating again, while dividing opinion across the country.

Critics of Eto’o accuse the former Cameroon captain of seeking the limelight and attempting to bypass President Biya. The president is due to return to Cameroon on Thursday after spending 74 days abroad.

The latest disagreement recalls a major power struggle between Eto’o and Mouelle Kombi two years ago over control of the national team.

Eto’o was angered by the fact that he had not been involved in the appointment of Marc Brys and responded by naming his own technical staff. The dispute reached its peak on 28 May 2024, when the four-time African Ballon d’Or winner and Brys became involved in a public verbal confrontation.

The two sides eventually reached an agreement, with the technical staffs formally merged on 1 October 2024. However, tensions between Eto’o and Brys continued, with the pair trading public criticisms until the Belgian coach was dismissed on 1 December 2025.

Brys was sacked the day after Eto’o was re-elected as Fecafoot president and one day before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. He was replaced by David Pagou.

The latest row is therefore being watched closely in Cameroon, with the handling of the trophy presentation reviving memories of the earlier battle over the national team and the balance of power within the country’s football administration.