Onana has been dropped from Cameroon’s squad for 2025 AFCON
Samuel Eto’o has firmly dismissed circulating rumors suggesting that André Onana paid to join the Samuel Eto’o Foundation.
In a report shared by African football journalist Micky Junior, the legendary Cameroonian striker, whose foundation has nurtured some of the country’s top talents, revealed the allegations were completely false.
“I learned that someone close to him claimed he paid to get into my foundation. That’s false. He didn’t have money to eat at the time, how could he have paid? He never paid anything. Those are lies,” Eto’o stated.
Eto’o emphasized that the foundation was created not for personal gain, but to cultivate a network of talented individuals dedicated to serving Cameroon.
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“I must emphasize that my actions were not motivated by the expectation of a reward. Instead, my intention was to create a network of individuals dedicated to serving our country, Cameroon, and it is gratifying to note that one of the world’s top talents, André Onana, emerged from this foundation,” he added.
The relationship between Eto’o and Onana has often been likened to a father-son bond, owing to the goalkeeper’s early training at the Douala-based academy.
However, it reportedly became strained following the controversy at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when then Cameroon head coach Rigobert Song dropped Onana from the squad, citing indiscipline.
Onana, however, has indicated that the full story behind his exclusion has never been publicly clarified.
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