President of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), Samuel Eto’o, has expressed the view that Senegal forward Sadio Mané deserves to win the Africa Footballer of the Year award.
It will be recalled that Mané was named African Player of the Year in 2021 after playing a key role in Senegal’s maiden Africa Cup of Nations triumph.
The Senegal star achieved a similar milestone in 2025, captaining the Teranga Lions to another AFCON title following a 1–0 victory over Morocco in Sunday’s final in Rabat.
Speaking in an interview with FRANCE24, the former Barcelona striker endorsed Mané as a leading candidate for the prestigious individual honour.
Eto’o also commended Mané’s influence both on and off the pitch, particularly during a tense moment in the final when Senegal players were close to leaving the field after a controversial late penalty was awarded to Morocco following a foul on Brahim Díaz inside the box.
“Sadio Mane not only contributed to winning the tournament but also to saving the image of the national team, because leaving the pitch would have had very serious consequences for Senegal.
“Sadio is one of the greatest heroes of our continent, and I send him special respect for his morals and leadership qualities. I am honoured to consider him a friend, and his role in leading his teammates to victory was exceptional.
“I hope he achieves another African Footballer Of The Year because what he did, especially his behaviour yesterday, is the act of a great leader.”