ETO’O is accused of embellishing Aboubakar’s startling AFCON omission in order to maintain the goal record

Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), has been accused of orchestrating the withdrawal of renowned striker Vincent Aboubakar from the Indomitable Lions’ team for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), sparking a new controversy in Cameroonian football.

The Sun claimed that Eto’o pressured national team selectors to bench the Beşiktaş attacker in an effort to preserve his illustrious AFCON goal-scoring record.

According to the article, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan legend did not want Aboubakar, who has been playing well for Cameroon in recent competitions and is getting closer to exceeding his total.

It was generally anticipated that Aboubakar, the national team’s captain and one of Cameroon’s most seasoned strikers, would start at the top of the lineup at the tournament in Morocco.

Given that he is one of the nation’s most reliable performances at major contests, his exclusion has generated a great deal of controversy among fans.

Eto’o is still the all-time best scorer at the AFCON, having scored 18 goals over his stellar career.

Aboubakar’s impressive performance at the 2021 tournament, in which he scored eight goals, had only stoked speculation that he may break the mark.

Football watchers in the nation say the development underscores mounting tensions within the national team setup ahead of the competition, even if FECAFOOT has not responded to the accusation officially.

Five-time African champions Cameroon had great expectations going into AFCON 2025, but preparations have now been clouded by the controversies surrounding roster selection.

The team’s ability to overcome internal strife and present a credible bid for the continental title will be eagerly watched by fans.

Aboubakar has not yet addressed the reports in public.