Charlie Courrent waits in vain to meet Samuel Eto'o | OneFootball

L'Équipe writes that two reporters waited for hours at Fecafoot headquarters in March 2022 hoping to meet Samuel Eto'o, only for the audience never to materialise.

In 2022, fresh from journalism school, they were preparing a long-form on Didier Drogba and Eto'o seeking to lead their federations. Eto'o had been elected Fecafoot president in December 2021.

Three months later they flew to Cameroon. The campaign director, backers and federation officials granted interviews and assured a meeting with “Monsieur le président”, a form of address he liked, was possible.

On the eve of their return flight they were summoned to Fecafoot’s base in the north-west of Yaoundé, with word he would pass by in the morning. At 8:30 on 18 March 2022 they arrived at the rusty gate, where admirers had gathered daily since his appointment.

Upstairs his office faced the stairs, the door left ajar yet empty. Officials said the president would arrive as hours slipped by and the pair paced the corridor, watching every car at the entrance.

At 13:00, after five hours, they accepted he would not appear, the half-closed door a telling symbol. His entourage all claimed closeness and thought they knew his whereabouts, yet in truth nobody did.

Constantly on the move, the former striker proved unpredictable. At 16:35 he read their WhatsApp message and never replied.

Source: L'Équipe

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