Samuel Eto’o has made a striking admission, saying he once considered Cameroon pulling out of a match against Morocco, while also insisting Senegal coach Aliou Cissé “was not wrong” in his stance during a major Arab Cup dispute.
Speaking in a media interview, the former Cameroon star and current federation president said the idea of withdrawing crossed his mind during a tense period involving Cameroon and Morocco, without detailing further sporting consequences from that moment.
Eto’o also revisited the controversy that surrounded Senegal at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, when Cissé strongly criticised refereeing decisions after his team’s match against Tunisia.
At the time, the Senegal coach was widely discussed for his reaction, but Eto’o defended him, saying Cissé “was not wrong,” and suggesting his anger reflected what he believed to be injustice on the pitch.
Eto’o’s comments have reignited debate around those episodes, touching on the frustrations African teams can feel in high-pressure tournaments, and the difficult balance between emotion and official decisions in international football.
