CHAN 2022: Samuel Eto’o – "I never betray my friends"
Attending the CHAN 2022 in Algeria, Samuel Eto’o was keen to calm tensions between Cameroon and the tournament's host nation.
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From tension to a truce? After a few months of strained relations stemming from Cameroon's knocking Algeria out in the World Cup 2022 play-offs, the two nations appear to have regained a degree of fraternity. The days of digs through the media, and of run-ins like the one a few weeks ago between Samuel Eto’o and an Algerian YouTuber, now seem to be a thing of the past.
According to the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), Cameroon and Algeria have always stood side by side. "I never betray my friends. Algeria has always stood by Cameroon when we were going through a difficult time during the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. And it is the duty of the Fecafoot president to be on the side of the FAF president," said Samuel Eto’o, who is in Algeria to attend the 7th edition of the CHAN.
Football should unite, not divide, Samuel Eto’o reminded everyone. "Football is here to help, not to divide. And we are not going to change that story. As president, I have to return the favour to the president of Algerian football, because he stood by Cameroon when we needed him." That should calm tensions between the two countries for a while.