Samuel Eto’o, President of the Cameroonian Football Federation, has spoken candidly about the tense moments experienced by Cameroon during their Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 quarter-final encounter against the host nation.
Cameroon bowed out of the tournament following a 2-0 defeat to Morocco, with goals from Ibrahim Diaz in the 26th minute and Ismail Al-Sibari in the 74th minute sealing progression for the Atlas Lions.
Speaking in an interview with France 24, Eto’o addressed the controversial nature of the match while stopping short of directly blaming the officials. He said: “I don’t want to make direct accusations against the referees, because they are human beings who make mistakes like everyone else, but I call on the African Union to study the matter carefully and take the necessary steps to improve performance in the future.”
The former Cameroon captain revealed how emotions ran high during the game, admitting that walking off the pitch was seriously discussed at one point.
He stated, “The feelings of tension reached their peak in that match, to the point that one of the close associates suggested an immediate withdrawal, and admitted that such an option could have been made in a moment of emotion.”
Eto’o went on to commend Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw for his controversial decision to lead his team off the pitch in protest against a disputed penalty awarded to Brahim Diaz during the AFCON final.
He described the action as a courageous stand in defense of the team’s rights, noting that Senegal eventually returned to the field following the intervention of Sadio Mane and went on to decide the title in extra time through a goal from Pape Gueye.
According to Eto’o, the episode reflected bravery rather than indiscipline, adding: “Senegal deserved to be crowned in the end.”
He concluded by reflecting on his own experience with CAF sanctions, saying: “Personally, I was suspended for four matches by the African Football Confederation, despite my refusal to withdraw.”
The Confederation of African Football had earlier suspended Eto’o for four matches and fined him $20,000 for what it described as “improper conduct” and violent protests against refereeing decisions during Cameroon’s quarter-final defeat to Morocco at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
