AroundTheSports: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Soccer Star Samuel Eto’o

Eto’o was nicknamed “Little Milla” during his childhood

Due to his incredible talent from a young age, Eto’o was nicknamed “Little Milla,” after the famous Cameroonian footballer Roger Milla. His connection to Milla went back to childhood, when he caught one of Milla’s shirts thrown into the crowd during a match. Eto’o was thrilled to be associated with the star, and discussed the connection in an interview with BBC. “He was one of the best in the world, not just in Africa. A lot of us think he did not win the Best Player in the World award just because he was African…It was an honor to have the name – he was an inspiration.”
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Eto’o was nicknamed “Little Milla” during his childhood

He was rejected by a French soccer club as a teen

During his teenage years, Eto’o was unable to join a French soccer club due to his young age and a lack of proper identification. Instead, he became a member of Real Madrid’s youth academy in 1997, though he barely played for them and was loaned to multiple clubs throughout the late 1990s.

The first time he was paid to play, he brought home $200-plus a week for his family
When Eto’o began to receive payment for playing football, he earned more than $200 a week. His family was incredulous. In an interview, he recalled how his father asked, “Can you really get so much from playing football?” That was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the money that Eto’o would later command for his football skills.

Eto’o holds a Spanish passport

Due to the near decade that Eto’o spent playing for La Liga in Spain, he now holds a Spanish passport. It enables him not to count among the “foreign players” working in the European Union.

He has been married to his wife, Georgette, since 2007

In June 2007, Eto’o married his longtime girlfriend, Georgette. The couple spends most of their free time in Paris with their three children, Étienne, Maelle, and Siena.

Eto’o holds the record for number of appearances by an African in La Liga

Eto’o’s incredible career in La Liga spanned several years with Real Madrid, where he was loaned to the likes of Leganés and Espanyol among others, as well as four seasons with Mallorca and five with Barcelona. During his time at Barcelona, he scored 108 goals in 108 appearances.

He is the most-decorated African player of all time

Eto’o has won the African Player of the Year award four times – in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2010. He was also the third-place runner-up for the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2005. Many people claim he was denied the first-place spot due to the fact that he was African. He was a member of the gold medal-winning 2000 Cameroonian Olympic team, and is a two-time champion of the Africa Cup of Nations. Eto’o is Cameroon’s all-time leading scorer and the third most-capped player in the country’s history.
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Eto’o has written nine graphic novels about his life

The most recent novel, “Birth of a Champion,” focuses on his formative years in Douala, Cameroon. Joelle Esso, the artist for the books, had little to work with as Eto’o’s family couldn’t afford a camera growing up, giving her no pictures for reference. Eto’o discussed his decision to do his autobiographies in graphic-novel style to make them accessible to children. “I wanted to use children’s language because they are the future for all of us, and they are the present for us all, and I wanted to communicate in their language,” he said in an interview.
Source: ChelseaFC.com
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Eto’o landed in hot water following Barcelona’s win for the 2004-05 La Liga title

After Barcelona won the title championship in 2005, the team organized a festive party in Camp Nou. Eto’o taunted fans in Madrid, chanting “Madrid, carbon, Saluda al campeón” (meaning “Madrid, bastards, salute the champions.”) He had to apologize publicly and ask for forgiveness – Real Madrid was his first professional team.
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Eto’o’s foundation funds football schools in Africa

Eto’o’s foundation has a number of different projects. One enables young players to attend top-notch football academies. Among others, Eto’o has built football schools in Gabon, as well as in Nairobi, Kenya, as a way to give back. “I want to give back to Africa what Africa gives to me — my chance to play football…” he said.
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Sources: Biography.com, BBC.com, Wikipedia.com, ChelseaFC.com, AskMen.com, BBC Sport

Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o is easily one of the most recognizable footballers from the African continent. The striker made a name for himself during his years in Spain’s La Liga football association. Though he’ll likely no longer be participating in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil due to a knee injury, he remains one of Cameroon’s top players, as well as a key contributor for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he now plays. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about soccer star Samuel Eto’o.
Sources: Biography.com, BBC.com, Wikipedia.com, ChelseaFC.com, AskMen.com, BBC Sport
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Sources: Biography.com, BBC.com, Wikipedia.com, ChelseaFC.com, AskMen.com, BBC Sport

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Tuesday, 22 July 2014

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Soccer Star Samuel Eto’o