Samuel Eto’o: ‘I was suspended for four matches for refusing to withdraw like Senegal’

Samuel Eto’o, President of the Cameroonian Football Federation, has praised Senegal star Sadio Mané, stressing that he does not blame the Lions of Teranga’s head coach for what happened during the AFCON 2025 final.

Senegal were crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions for the second time in their history after defeating hosts Morocco 1–0 in the final, a match that went to extra time on Sunday evening.

The game was marked by a chaotic scene, as some Senegal players left the pitch after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco in the final seconds of regulation time, before later returning to complete the match.

Speaking to the media, Eto’o said:
“Sadio Mané is one of the greatest heroes of our continent. I want to especially highlight his personality, and I am honored to call him a friend. What he did to lead his teammates to victory was truly exceptional, and I hope he wins the Ballon d’Or again in recognition of what he has achieved.”

He added:
“What he did yesterday was the gesture of a great leader. But once again, we should not blame others simply because they may have asked the players to leave the pitch at some point. When you are in that situation, many emotions collide in your mind, and sometimes you feel that what is happening is unfair.”

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Eto’o went on to recall a similar experience from this edition too, saying:
“I was suspended for four matches for refusing to take this decision. As you know, emotions can sometimes get out of control. During one of our matches between Cameroon and Morocco, emotions were running high, and someone from my country suggested withdrawing the team. I could have taken that decision without hesitation.”

He concluded:
“I don’t think I will blame the Senegal coach. On the contrary, he had the courage to defend his team, and he had the courage to take a risk. Sometimes, you have to take such risks. In the end, Senegal won, and that is what I want to remember.”

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