Sports
Samuel Eto’o Accused Of Pocketing ₦700m Friendly Match Fund
Cameroon football legend Samuel Eto’o has been accused of mishandling more than $500,000 in funds linked to an international friendly between Russia and Cameroon.
According to an exclusive report by The Times, documents reviewed by the publication allegedly show that money paid by the Russian Football Union was transferred to a personal bank account belonging to Eto’o in Qatar.
The match in question took place in Moscow in October 2023, with the Russian Football Union paying a fee for the international friendly.
Leaked invoices and contracts reviewed by The Times reportedly show two separate transfers totalling $567,570, equivalent to around ₦752 million, being routed directly into Eto’o’s personal account rather than an official account belonging to the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT).
The allegations have raised questions over how the funds were handled while Eto’o was serving as Fecafoot president.
Former Fecafoot executives who have since been sidelined from the organisation reportedly claim that the money cannot be accounted for in the federation’s financial records.
The former officials also claim that formal complaints concerning the alleged financial conduct were submitted to FIFA’s ethics committee more than a year ago.
However, they say they have received no substantial updates regarding the complaints, leaving questions over whether the matter has been investigated or resolved.
The allegations represent another challenge for Eto’o, one of Cameroon’s most celebrated footballers and a four-time African Footballer of the Year who became Fecafoot president in 2021.
Neither Eto’o nor representatives of Fecafoot have responded to requests for comment on the allegations, according to The Times.
For now, the claims remain allegations, with no finding of wrongdoing established in the information provided. The reported transfer of more than ₦700 million into Eto’o’s personal account, however, is likely to attract further scrutiny as questions continue over the federation’s finances.
Lionel Messi has completed his purchase of Spanish second division club CD Eldense.
The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is the second Spanish club that Argentina great Messi has invested in, with the 39-year-old having bought Catalan side Cornella in April.
“Club Deportivo Eldense officially announces the acquisition of the club by Leo Messi, marking the start of a new and exciting chapter in the club’s history, which spans more than 100 years,” CD Eldense stated on their website., external
CD Eldense are 19th in the 22-team Spanish second division with one win and five points from their opening seven games.
Former Barcelona forward Messi, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, plays for American club Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and announced his retirement from international football in August.
An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, he reached a “preliminary agreement” to become CD Eldense’s majority shareholder in September, with the process now complete.
“The arrival of one of the most important figures in the history of sport as owner of CD Eldense marks the beginning of a long-term project aimed at promoting the club’s sporting, institutional, and social development,” added the Alicante-based club
Portuguese winger Leão, who wore Ronaldo’s No. 7 shirt in the UEFA Nations League match between Portugal and Denmark, admitted after the game that the gesture held special meaning and that Ronaldo is his idol.
Leão stated in the mixed zone at Parken Stadium: “Yes, Ronaldo is an idol for me, a childhood idol. The number 7 has special meaning to me—it’s the day my children were born. I just tried to honor the shirt and enjoy the game with my teammates. I think the most important thing is that we played a good game and won.”
When asked about Ronaldo’s withdrawal from the national team’s current training camp, Leão declined to elaborate but expressed his belief that Ronaldo would be happy about the victory: “That’s not something for us to discuss. We proved we are a team, and I’m sure he’ll be happy at home for this victory. I have a good relationship with him, and I know what kind of person he is. The most important thing is the team. We got another three points, and we are first in the group. Now it’s time to rest and prepare for Monday’s game. (…) This situation is not up to us. The most important thing is the team, and to respond as a team.”
Regarding the victory in Denmark, Leão emphasized the team’s organization and attacking prowess: “We knew it would be a tough game. They were playing at home with their fans supporting them. They are a team very similar to Norway, very strong physically, but the coach prepared us very well. In both games, we started very organized. Then we created scoring opportunities, we were very efficient, and scored four goals.”
Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on the eve of the Nations League match against Denmark, but the No 7 shirt will not lie vacant.
According to report,Rafael Leao will wear the number 7 shirt on Thursday evening for the match at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, the forward moved in the summer from AC Milan to Galatasaray.
The Nations League regulations stipulate that the players on the teamsheet must be numbered from 1 to 23. That is why Portugal could not avoid giving CR7 the No 7 shirt. Former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo is in the squad, but Francisco Conceicao is not, sidelined by a thigh problem, although tests ruled out a lesion.
According to report,the fallout from Ronaldo’s departure has hit the Portugal national team, with the national side’s official profile said to have lost around 500,000 followers in just a few hours. Portuguese fans, however, are convinced the man chiefly responsible for the situation is Cristiano Ronaldo himself: according to a poll by ABola 8.1% blame federation president Pedro Proença, 13.7% head coach Jorge Jesus and 78.2% the Al Nassr forward.
The row is not going away any time soon: Marca reports that Ronaldo was promised and guaranteed greater respect by the federation until 2027 to convince him to return to the national team, while Portuguese media say even Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, has asked for a meeting with head coach Jorge Jesus to hear every detail of what happened.
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