Sports
Cameroun Names Eto’o Despite Retirement Reports
Samuel Eto’o has been
called up to the Cameroon squad for their World Cup qualifying play-off game against Tunisia, despite reports last month that he had retired from international football.
Chelsea striker Eto’o reportedly declared his intention not to play for Cameroon to his team-mates after their World Cup qualifier against Libya.
The Cameroon coach, Volker Finke did not confirm the reports, saying Eto’o was the right person to make known his decision.
Now, Finke appears to be offering Eto’o a way back into the Indomitable Lions fold after naming him in the 25-man squad for the October fixture, even though it is not clear whether Eto’o will accept the invitation.
There are pressures from different quarters for Eto’o to change his mind and take the team to the World Cup, even if he wants to retire after the play-offs.
Some Cameroun officials have written to Eto’o to ask him to reconsider his decision, as have the National Union of Cameroon Footballers.
Cameroun legend Roger Milla, now a roving ambassador for the national federation, has even offered his help in trying to convince the four-time African Player of the Year to return.
Cameroun will be away to Tunisia on 11 October in the first leg of their play-off tie. The home leg is on 15 November, with the winners securing a place at the World Cup in Brazil.
Malaga’s Fabrice Olinga and Lyon’s Henri Bedimo are also in the squad, despite missing the Libya fixture.
Edgar Salli of Lens is selected in the squad for the first time since Finke became coach.
There is no room for Benoit Assou-Ekotto, on loan at Queens Park Rangers from Tottenham, or for Benoit Angbwa, who plays for Anzhi Makhachkala.
Other high-profile players such as Barcelona’s Jean Marie Dongou and Mohamadou Idrissou of Kaiserslautern are on the reserve list.
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CAFCL : Rivers United Arrives DR Congo
Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt contingent, comprising players, technical crew, backroom staff, and officials, depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State on Wednesday, bound for Kinshasa, DR Congo.
The team is set to face FC Les Aigles du Congo in the first-round first-leg match of the CAF Champions League.
This was contained in a press release signed by the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku and made available to Tidesports on Wednesday.
He said that the highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at the 80,000-capacity Kinshasa-Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs on morrow with kickoff slated for 3:30pm.
According to the statement the encounter marks the first-ever meeting between both sides in any competition, adding that an air of excitement and unpredictability to the fixture.
“As the Pride of Nigeria embarks on this crucial journey, the team is determined to return with a decent result that will set them up favorably for the second leg on Sunday, 28th September” the statement said.
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FIFA rankings: S’Eagles drop Position, remain sixth in Africa
The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.
Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.
Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.
Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.
The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.
Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.
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