'He has changed football' - Samuel Eto'o backs Gianni Infantino for re-election

Cameroon football legend Samuel Eto'o has publicly defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino, insisting the Swiss administrator has "not done anything wrong" and deserves another term at the helm of world football.

The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker believes Infantino's leadership has transformed global football, particularly by creating more opportunities for smaller nations and boosting football development across Africa.

Speaking to CNN Sports, Eto'o argued that the recent scrutiny surrounding Infantino should be viewed in the context of the upcoming election rather than as a reflection of his leadership.

Eto'o made his position unmistakably clear when asked about the criticism directed at the FIFA president.

“I don't think that President Gianni Infantino has done anything wrong,” Eto'o said.

The FECAFOOT president suggested that the timing of the criticism is closely linked to FIFA's electoral cycle.

He added, “I think the timing of all of that is because there's an election coming out.”

The four-time African Player of the Year credited Infantino with reshaping international football by expanding access to major tournaments.

Eto'o pointed to the FIFA World Cup's expansion as one of the Swiss official's most significant achievements.

He said, “President Gianni Infantino has changed football. He's given opportunities to nations that didn't have those opportunities to take part in the most beautiful tournament, the World Cup. He enabled smaller nations to get seats at these competitions.”

Beyond the expanded World Cup, Eto'o believes African football has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of Infantino's presidency.

The former Cameroon captain praised FIFA's support for national associations across the continent.

He added, “He has helped our continent. He's helped our federations to develop much more quickly. We need to acknowledge that. We need to accept and recognise what he's done, and we should support him for everything he's done up to now.”

Infantino's presidency has faced criticism from several football organisations, including UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation, particularly after a controversial proposal involving private investment in FIFA tournaments was eventually abandoned.

Despite that opposition, the FIFA president continues to enjoy strong backing from much of African football.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has already declared its support for Infantino's re-election campaign, giving him a significant bloc of votes ahead of the next presidential contest.