The passage describes a strained relationship between Samuel Eto’o and Mohamed Iya, the president of Fecafoot, the Cameroonian football federation. During the qualifiers for the 2014 Brazil World Cup, tensions escalated to a point where Eto’o refused to shake hands with the Fecafoot president during the usual greeting before the match against Togo.
Prior to this incident, Samuel Eto’o claimed to have received death threats and experienced isolation before the Togo match, leading him to take certain precautions. He reportedly refused to drink or eat anything offered by the Cameroonian authorities during the team’s training camp. This decision caused disagreement among some players, leading to a violent clash between Eto’o and a teammate. Despite these internal issues, Eto’o scored both goals in Cameroon’s 2-1 victory against Togo.
Notably, Stephane Mbia, who had an altercation with Eto’o, chose not to celebrate Eto’o’s winning goal. The report also mentions that Eto’o remained cautious even after the match, as he did not drink the water offered to him when leaving the field. Alexandre Song eventually replaced him in the 87th minute.
The overall account paints a picture of a highly tense and divisive atmosphere within the Cameroonian national team during that period, with Eto’o at the center of controversy and facing challenges both on and off the field
