Sports

30, September 2024

FIFA bans Samuel Eto’o from Cameroon games for six months ⁰

Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), has been handed a six-month ban from attending any international matches involving Cameroon by FIFA’s disciplinary panel.

The former Barcelona and Chelsea striker’s sanction comes after violations of two articles from FIFA’s disciplinary code during the Under-20 Women’s World Cup last-16 match between Cameroon and Brazil on 11 September, where Cameroon lost 3-1 after extra time.

FIFA cited breaches related to offensive behaviour, misconduct, and violations of fair play principles during the match in Bogota, Colombia, which Eto’o attended. The 43-year-old is now barred from attending all matches involving Cameroon’s national men’s and women’s teams, across all age groups.

The ban took immediate effect, and Eto’o has been informed of the decision, leaving him unable to attend Cameroon’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games against Kenya in October.

This is not Eto’o’s first disciplinary issue. In July, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined him $200,000 for breaching ethics rules after signing a contract to be an ambassador for betting company 1XBET. While Eto’o’s legal team is appealing the CAF ruling, his controversies as Fecafoot president have continued.

Since his election in 2021, Eto’o has faced criticism from within Cameroon’s football circles, with accusations of irregularities at Fecafoot, and one former teammate labelling him a dictator due to his leadership style.

Source: Sports News

25, September 2024

Football: France’s World Cup winner Raphaël Varane retires after knee injury ⁰

France World Cup winner Raphaël Varane on Tuesday announced his retirement from football at the age of 31.

Former Real Madrid and Manchester United centre-back Varane had joined Italian club Como for this season but was then excluded from their Serie A squad having suffered a knee injury in August.

“A new life begins off the pitch,” Varane said on social media.

“I will remain with Como. Just without using my boots and shin pads.

“Something I am looking forward to sharing more about soon,” the four-time Champions League winner added.

Varane made 93 appearances for France from 2013-22, playing a key role in their victory at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, as well as their runners-up finish four years later in Qatar.

Source: AFP

19, September 2024

1990 World Cup: Italy’s icon Schillaci dies aged 59 ⁰

Italian icon Salvatore Schillaci, the top scorer at the 1990 World Cup, has died aged 59.

Schillaci, better known as ‘Toto’, scored six goals to win the Golden Boot at the 1990 World Cup on home soil.

Italy lost in the semi-finals, but Schillaci was also awarded the Golden Ball as the best player and gained hero status.

Schillaci was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2022.

Capped 16 times for his country, scoring seven goals, he represented Italian giants Juventus and Inter Milan after beginning his club career at Messina.

Juventus, whom Schillaci joined in 1989, said: “We immediately fell in love with Toto. His desire, his story, his being so wonderfully passionate, and it showed in every game he played.

“We at Juve were lucky enough to get excited about him before – in that incredible summer of 1990 – the whole of Italy did, captivated by those wonderfully energetic celebrations of his.”

Schillaci scored his first goal of the 1990 World Cup as a substitute against Austria, and after another substitute appearance against the United States earned his first start against the Czech Republic.

Partnering Roberto Baggio up front, Schillaci scored again as Italy’s campaign built momentum, and his hero status was confirmed with further goals in the subsequent knockout round matches against Uruguay and the Republic of Ireland in the quarter-finals.

Despite opening the scoring in the semi-final against Argentina, Italy lost out on penalties in Naples – but Schillaci sealed the Golden Boot with his sixth goal of the tournament in the third-place play-off against England.

He would finish runner-up to Germany’s World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthaus for the 1990 Ballon d’Or.

Source: BBC

13, September 2024

Football: PSG ready to try ‘legal forum’ after Mbappé refuses mediation in wage dispute ⁰

Paris Saint-Germain are ready to face Kylian Mbappé in a “legal forum” after the France forward refused an offer from the French football league’s governing body (LFP) to mediate on a wage dispute, the Ligue 1 club said on Thursday.

While PSG welcomed the LFP’s offer to mediate on Wednesday, the offer was refused by the France skipper.

French media reported the 25-year-old, who had a fallout with the club last year after refusing to sign a contract extension, is seeking around €55 million ($60.73 million).

The Commission have suggested that Mbappé either go to an employment tribunal or settle the matter with the club where he spent seven seasons and became their all-time top scorer before making the switch to Real Madrid in June.

“Having heard the arguments of the parties yesterday, the Commission repeatedly insisted upon mediation between Paris Saint-Germain and the player to find a compromise in light of PSG’s favourable arguments,” the club told Reuters.

“This mediation process has been refused by the player, contrary to the Commission’s recommendation.

“…in light of the limitations of the Commission’s legal scope to take a complete decision on this matter, the matter must now be contested in another legal forum, to which Paris St Germain is delighted to present all the facts over the coming months and year.”

Last year they reported Mbappé had agreed to forego loyalty bonuses if he left PSG on a free transfer.

In January, Mbappé had said he made an agreement with PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi which would “protect all parties and preserve the club’s serenity for the challenges ahead”.

“As a matter of law and fact, the player has made clear, repeated public and private commitments that must be respected, having been afforded unprecedented benefits by the club over seven years in Paris,” PSG added.

“The club looks forward to these being upheld in the proper forum, if the player seeks to pursue this incomprehensibly reputationally damaging matter further, in due course.”

Mbappé’s representatives were not immediately available for comment.

Source: Reuters

11, September 2024

Football: Manchester United post losses for fifth straight year ⁰

Manchester United on Wednesday posted net losses of £113.2 million ($148 million) for 2023/24 despite earning record revenues — their fifth straight year of losses.

In the year to June 30, 2024 the Premier League club recorded record revenues of £661.8 million — up 2.1 percent — driven by record commercial and matchday revenues.

United incurred costs of £47.8 million in “exceptional items”, mostly related to Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a minority stake in the club, which was completed in February.

United finished eighth in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season — their lowest finish since 1990 — and exited at the group stage of the Champions League.

But Erik Ten Hag’s men won the FA Cup — beating Manchester City in the final at Wembley for a second trophy in two years.

United have embarked on a major backroom shake-up in recent months, including bringing in a new chief executive, Omar Berrada, poached from Premier League champions Manchester City.

“As I embark on my new role as chief executive officer of this historic club, we are all extremely focused on working collectively to create a bright future with football success at the heart of it,” said Berrada.

“We are working towards greater financial sustainability and making changes to our operations to make them more efficient, to ensure we are directing our resources to enhancing on-pitch performance.”

The Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules allow a maximum loss of £105 million over a three-season period, but within that certain losses are deemed “allowable” such as infrastructure, youth team and women’s team spending.

Everton and Nottingham Forest both incurred points deductions last season after being found to be in breach of PSR.

United, who have started the new Premier League season with two defeats in three matches, return to action at Southampton on Saturday.

Source: AFP

10, September 2024

Indomitable Lions: captain Aboubakar joins Hatayspor from Besiktas ⁰

Vincent Aboubakar has joined struggling Turkish club Hatayspor after falling out of favour at league rivals Besiktas, both clubs announced.

“We have signed a one-year contract with experienced striker Vincent Aboubakar,” Hatayspor said in a post on social media.

The 32-year-old rejoined Besiktas in January 2023, after a year and a half with Saudi club Al-Nassr.

Capped over 100 times for Cameroon, Aboubaker won two Turkish league titles with Besiktas in his two spells in 2017 and 2021.

He also won two league titles with Portuguese club Porto and the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.

Antakya club Hatayspor are second last in the Turkish league.

Source: Citizen digital sports

8, September 2024

AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: Indomitable Lions, Super Eagles win after chaotic build-ups ⁰

Former champion Nigeria and Cameroon put chaotic build-ups behind them on Saturday to make winning starts in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

Ademola Lookman, the lone African nominee for the 2024 Ballon d’Or men’s award, scored twice and reigning African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen once as Nigeria beat Benin 3-0 in Uyo.

Veteran Vincent Aboubakar, leading scorer at the 2022 AFCON with eight goals, netted in the second half to earn Cameroon a 1-0 victory over Namibia in Garoua.

In the other qualifier on the final day of matchday one action, Mauritania edged Botswana 1-0 in Group C thanks to a late Sidi Amar goal in Nouakchott.

After agreeing to coach Nigeria, German Bruno Labbadia did a last-minute u-turn when the national football federation declined to pay the tax on his undisclosed monthly salary.

Augustine Eguavoen was named caretaker coach of a team still smarting from a stunning mid-year 2026 World Cup qualifying loss to Benin, which lies 52 places lower on the world rankings.

The interim boss watched anxiously as the Super Eagles did not translate territorial supremacy into goals until first-half added time, when Lookman struck.

Osimhen, who join Galatasaray on loan this week after a hoped-for move to either Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain or Saudi side Al Ahly did not materialise, came off the bench to net on 78 minutes.

As huge gaps appeared in the defence of demoralised Benin, Lookman struck again with seven minutes of regular time remaining to take Nigeria top of Group D, two points above Rwanda.

Rows over the match venue and which players would represent Cameroon overshadowed preparations for the Group J fixture against Namibia.

Initially set for Douala, the fixture was moved to Yaounde by the sports ministry, then Garoua by the national football federation, which former Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o heads.

Cameroon Prime Minister Joseph Ngute intervened and ordered the game to be played in the northwestern city of Garoua, but the drama did not end there.

Four-time African Footballer of the Year Eto’o threatened to field the national under-20 team against Namibia instead of the senior side as a power struggle with the ministry continued.

The federation then had to wait until the morning of the match before receiving the passports of the senior players in order to create an official team sheet.

Victory lifted Cameroon to the top of the table, two points above Zimbabwe and Kenya, who drew 0-0 on Friday.

Source: Sportsstar

7, September 2024

Cameroon Football: Why is Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi very desperate? ⁰

For a long time now, Cameroonians have been watching a very unsettling movie wherein the key actors are the country’s sports minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi; the Indomitable Lions coach Marc Brys and the President of the football federation (FECAFOOT), Samuel Eto’o.

The movie has gone round the globe and many people are very unhappy with what is happening to Cameroon’s football. Many people around the world see Cameroon as a great footballing nation but this image seems to belong to the past.

The fighting has reduced Cameroon’s image abroad and many think that the country’s days as a football giant in Africa now belong to the past. But that past was characterized by corruption at the football federation.

Since taking charge of football affairs, the global icon, Samuel Eto’o has been shutting down all the loopholes which have helped many involved in Cameroon’s football management to become illicitly rich.

This decision has hurt many, especially the sports and physical education minister, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, who holds that this is the time for him to feather his nest.

He has woven a team comprising journalists, influencers, former players who were enjoying benefits they did not deserve and other enemies of the FECAFOOT president for them to fight and send Samuel Eto’o out of the federation. Samuel Eto’o is bad news to Mouelle Kombi and his cronies.

Initially, Mouelle Kombi thought it was going to be an easy battle. He did not know that he had a tough cookie in front of him. As the fighting continues so do Mouelle Kombi and his friends in crime get deeper into desperation and poverty.

Mouelle Kombi has children abroad and many are studying in expensive universities and this bruising conflict with Samuel Eto’o, a man with a huge war chest, is destroying the Biya acolyte both financially and psychologically, especially as the calls for school fees are incessant and threatening.

It is not just the business of school fees that is keeping the 62-year-old Mouelle Kombi awake. A massive multi-apartment structure he has been erecting in Yaoundé has come to a screeching halt. Money from FECAFOOT has vanished with the arrival of Samuel Eto’o who does not admire corruption in any way, shape or form.

Professor Mouelle Kombi’s phone is permanently off the hook as his numerous girlfriends, many of whom are living in Europe and Canada, keep on calling to report that their rents are due. Mouelle Kombi is in trouble right up to his eyeballs.

Minister Kombi knows that without money, those girlfriends of his will be gone. Money is to women what honey is to bees. Mouelle Kombi does not want to lose them, but with Eto’o at the helm in FECAFOOT, it is clear that Mouelle Kombi will be financially emasculated. The fighting is costing him his reputation, health and peace of mind.

A source close to the learned professor who is also a practicing lawyer but who has also morphed into a practicing liar says that Mouelle Kombi is losing his mind.

Before boarding the flight to Garoua where the match against the Brave Warriors of Namibia has to be played, the learned professor could be heard screaming over the phone after a call came through. It was a lady in Paris who was mounting pressure on Mouelle Kombi for him to send money.

Her rents were due and from every indication, Mouelle Kombi is cash-strapped. Despite his attempts to explain to the lady that things would be fine, the lady kept on pressurizing him, cautioning that she could be homeless in the coming weeks if Mouelle Kombi did not send money. Mouelle Kombi is in trouble and he knows with an enemy like Eto’o, the future will only continue to be bleak.

The source added that the professor who was considered to be taciturn is today talking but unfortunately to himself. Eto’o’s poison has hit the minister where it hurts the most. To douse his pain, the professor now drinks and it was surprising that last week he lost control of himself and started asking Marc Brys for a cigarette.

The source furthered that some people are advising the minister to negotiate with Eto’o. The minister does not want to swallow his pride but if he does not change his mind, he will be pushed to the edge of a financial precipice.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

5, September 2024

Indomitable Lions: Eto’o 1, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi 0 ⁰

An impasse in Cameroon’s national men’s football team has been overcome following mediation efforts by the country’s Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, state media Crtv said on Wednesday.

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will host Namibia on Saturday in its opener of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier but their training camp has been marred by a wrangle between Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and the country’s Ministry of Sports and Physical Education over the venue of the training camp and stadium where the match will take place.

“FECAFOOT wants the match to be played in the town of Garoua while the ministry wants the match to be played in the capital Yaounde. The players were divided and confused. Instead of training, they are attending crisis meetings,” said football analyst, Jean Claude Wakam.

Ngute met with the players and government officials on Wednesday and stated that the match “will be played wherever CAF (Confederation of African Football) decides and where the stadium is and in good shape”, Crtv reported.

The CPDM team has now agreed to play the game in Garoua after the mediation efforts.

Crisis erupted in Cameroon football since April after the country’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi announced the appointment of 61-year-old Marc Brys as head coach. FECAFOOT said it did not agree with the appointment because it “was not involved in the procedure leading to the appointment”.

Both bodies have since tussled over who is in charge of the Indomitable Lions.

Cameroon will play Namibia on Saturday and face Zimbabwe three days later in Kampala.

The country is placed in Group J of the qualifiers, along with Namibia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

The 35th edition of AFCON will take place in Morocco next year.

Source: Xinhuanet

5, September 2024

CPDM Minister of Football lands in Garoua ⁰

Cameroon’s Minister of Football, Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, has landed in Garoua in Cameroon’s northern region where the country’s national team, the Indomitable Lions is expected to clash with the Brave Warriors of Namibia.

Mr. Mouelle Kombi, who is supposed to be the country’s Sports and Physical Education Minister, but has opted to focus on football, was on the same flight with the players and their coach. He has to be by the team to keep on manipulating the players. But his intrigues are known and the players are sick and tired of his stupidity.

Prof. Mouelle Kombi and Coach Marc Brys had vowed that they would not go to Garoua for the match, but they have been obliged by circumstances to eat their own words. It is FECAFOOT that manages football in Cameroon and not the ministry of sports.

The minister who has sown chaos in all other federations wants to take control of FECAFOOT because of the money in football. His plan will not work as he has met someone who knows his rights and wants to clean up FECAFOOT. Cameroonians are smart enough to see through Mouelle Kombi’s charade.

Kombi, whose presence in Garoua is not necessary, is there because he wants to ensure that the technical team he appointed gets access to the stadium. But his team will not sit at the coaching stand because the names of the members of that team are not on the match forms.

Kombi is already staring down the barrel of defeat. He will soon be kicked out of government and he will be remembered for the chaos he has sown in the ministry of sports.

Supposedly a practicing lawyer, Mouelle Kombi has, over the years morphed into a practicing liar just because he wants to feather his nest.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai