Samuel Eto’o: The Remarkable Tale of 'Little Milla'
Samuel Eto'o's football career stands out as one of the most extraordinary journeys in the World of football superstars. He encountered highs and lows along his journey, immersed in drama, and his exceptional talent was matched by his charisma. Eto'o was always a player who found a way to make his mark and any football fan not well-acquainted with his career should settle in for a thorough read because there truly is no other player quite like him. So, let's dive into his remarkable story.
At the tender age of 16, Eto'o made his arrival at Real Madrid, finally gaining the opportunity to carve his name into the annals of football history. However, this chance came after an arduous journey filled with struggles. Eto'o's life story revolved around his early passion for football, which often conflicted with his family's wish for him to prioritize his education and uphold their quality of life.
In their eyes, football was a pursuit for children who didn't attend school. To convince his family otherwise was a Herculean task. "Eto'o didn't gravitate toward the streets as a troublemaker;" he was simply head over heels in love with the beautiful game.
For a considerable time, he kept his double life a secret to maintain appearances. Then, one day, a turning point arrived. Eto'o wanted to participate in a local match being organized in his town, so he sneaked out to play. His extraordinary talent on the field quickly made him stand out as the most gifted kid in the game. What he didn't know was that his father, from across the street at a coffee shop, watched his performance.
When Eto'o returned home, he braced himself for a stern lecture, but to his surprise, his father said, "You're so good; we need to convince your mother to let you play." At the age of 11, he finally joined his first youth team, the prestigious Kadji Sports Academy in Cameroon, and from that point forward, Eto'o devoted himself to training relentlessly, regardless of the weather or the hour.
After two years of unyielding dedication, Eto'o appeared to reap the rewards of his hard work when a French scout spotted his talent and took him to France for a trial with PSG. Strangely, he faced rejection. Fearing deportation back to Cameroon, Eto'o daringly decided to remain in France as an illegal immigrant, living in constant fear of discovery.
However, he eventually secured another trial, this time with Le Havre, and despite the previous setback, he didn't let it shatter his determination. Eto'o redoubled his efforts, pushing himself beyond his limits. His motivation was clear: "to show the world a little black boy can be as good as anyone else." Within months, he received his first national team call-up at just 15 years old, impressing with his skills. After one of his initial matches, someone approached him and offered the question, "Would you like to play for Real Madrid?" The answer was a resounding "yes," and that's how he finally reached the pinnacle.
Many might assume that at Real Madrid, Eto'o's career would experience smooth sailing, but thankfully, it turned out to be anything but.
Upon arriving in Madrid, Samuel Eto'o spent one season in the academy but was then repeatedly loaned out. His first loan was to Leganes in the second division, where he gained considerable playing time but failed to make a significant impact. Next, he moved to Espanyol mid-season, but his playing time was limited to just one appearance. Finally, he was loaned to Mallorca. Amidst these loan spells, Eto'o achieved an incredible feat by becoming the youngest player to be called up to the World Cup, at the tender age of 17.
However, doubts began to surface about Eto'o's ability to succeed at the highest level as he transitioned to Mallorca.
Many questioned his true potential. Yet, midway through a season in which he managed 6 goals in 13 matches, he participated in the African Cup of Nations. Eto'o's performance was nothing short of astounding. At just 19 years old, he led his national team to the final, scoring in the three preceding matches, despite rarely playing more than 45 minutes. In the final, he scored the opener as Cameroon triumphed over Nigeria in a penalty shootout.
Eto'o's remarkable achievements caught the attention of Mallorca, who decided to take a gamble by offering £4.4 million for his services, making him their most expensive transfer at the time. This was a significant risk for Mallorca, given their financial constraints and the fact that Eto'o was only 20 years old. Real Madrid agreed to let him go, and it turned out to be a monumental success. At the time, Mallorca was not just any team; they had previously finished in a historic third place in the league, earning qualification for the Champions League. However, the season before Eto'o's arrival had seen them struggle, finishing in 10th place. Eto'o provided a breath of fresh air, igniting hopes of a resurgence.
From the start of the season, Eto'o displayed his prowess by scoring the opening goal against Barcelona in a historic win for Mallorca. After a quiet period, he went on a goal-scoring spree, securing 9 crucial points for his team with 5 goals in 6 matches. He finished the season with 11 league goals, leading Mallorca to a third-place finish. Their earlier success no longer seemed like a fluke, and Eto'o had become a fan favorite.
Mallorca was on the cusp of its first-ever Champions League appearance after making it through the playoffs. Their journey in the competition started well with victories over Arsenal, Schalke, and Panathinaikos in the group stage, largely attributed to the expert coaching of Luis Aragonés.
However, once the honeymoon period was over, Mallorca began to decline. They lost the remaining matches and only reached the UEFA Cup, where they were promptly eliminated. Despite earlier victories against top teams like Arsenal, Mallorca barely escaped relegation, finishing 16th in the table after a draw against Real Madrid and a win against Valladolid in the last two matches of the season.
Midway through that season, Eto'o also participated in another African Cup of Nations, where Cameroon emerged victorious again. The following season saw Mallorca's performance improve, finishing in the top 10 in the league. However, Eto'o's brilliance stood out. He faced Real Madrid three times that season, scoring in each encounter, leading to some of the most extraordinary and unpredictable results in football history.
These included a 5-1 win by Real Madrid, a 5-1 victory for Mallorca in the Copa Del Rey, and another 5-1 win for Mallorca against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. This remarkable performance continued throughout the season, with Eto'o scoring in the semi-finals against Deportivo to secure Mallorca's place in the final. He closed the season with a remarkable run of 10 matches and 11 goals, earning Mallorca their first major domestic title in the history of the club by scoring both goals in the Copa Del Rey final. His incredible season led to his first African Player of the Year award.
Eto'o firmly established his status as a legend, endearing himself to every Mallorca fan. Despite being a 21-year-old striker from a mid-table club and not yet a superstar, he was 100% dedicated to Mallorca. An example of his extraordinary commitment was his donation of 30 thousand euros to cover the costs of fans who had traveled to support the club. His behavior was truly incredible.
Following a remarkable season at Mallorca, which saw him score a career-best 22 goals, Samuel Eto'o played his final season for the club. During this season, he had several memorable performances, including a game-winning goal against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Supercup, even though they ultimately lost the competition.
Eto'o also earned his first European hat-trick against APOEL and notched another brace against Real Madrid towards the end of the season, once again besting them at the Bernabeu. It's possible that his persistent desire to score against Real Madrid caught the attention of Florentino Perez, who made efforts to bring him back. However, Eto'o likely wasn't too keen on returning to the club that had previously rejected him.
Instead, he made a significant move to Barcelona for a fee of 24 million euros, leaving Mallorca as one of their most beloved players and their all-time leading goalscorer. In his first season at Barcelona, Eto'o took his game to the next level, scoring an impressive 28 goals.
Playing alongside world-class teammates like Ronaldinho, Deco, and Larsson undoubtedly contributed to his success. Despite an early exit from the Champions League in the last 16, Eto'o delivered outstanding performances, registering a goal and an assist in matches against Chelsea and AC Milan.
Eto'o's performance in La Liga was equally outstanding. He scored 24 goals, claiming the Pichichi as the league's top scorer. Additionally, he secured his first Spanish league title, celebrating the victory in Barcelona.
During these celebrations, he created one of his most iconic moments by seizing the microphone and rallying the crowd to chant the words, 'Madrid, Cabrón, Saluda el Campéon.' It was a moment that stung for Madridistas, but for a player who had faced rejection from Real Madrid, it couldn't have been more iconic.
Eto'o had traversed a challenging path to stardom, and seeing it pay off was truly incredible, especially for a player who cherished every moment he spent on the pitch. His second season with Barcelona proved to be one of the most outstanding in his career in terms of goal-scoring. By Christmas, he had already scored 22 goals in 22 matches. It remains a mystery how he only secured 10th place in the Ballon d'Or rankings, but he did finish third in the FIFA Player of the Year and received the African Player of the Year award for a record third consecutive time.
Shortly after this recognition, Eto'o participated in the African Cup of Nations, where he kicked off the tournament with a hat-trick against Angola. He continued to impress by scoring in every group-stage match. Unfortunately, he missed a penalty in the match against Ivory Coast, ending a remarkable run of 23 consecutive successful penalties. Despite this miss, he emerged as the top scorer of the tournament.
In the latter half of the season, Eto'o wasn't as prolific, but his timing was consistently impeccable. He scored the winning goal in the last 16 match against Chelsea and contributed with both an assist and a goal in Barcelona's match against Benfica. In the final, he faced off against Henry's Arsenal and scored a late goal that brought Barcelona back into the match. Ultimately, Belleti secured their victory, making them European Champions.
At the age of 25, it's astonishing to witness the rapid rise of Samuel Eto'o after years of being overlooked by top clubs. Unfortunately, the two following seasons were challenging for Eto'o due to injuries. He missed four months at the start of the first of those seasons and another four at the beginning of the second. Nevertheless, Eto'o still managed to post respectable numbers, tallying 31 goals across those seasons. He even played in the African Cup of Nations, where he was the top scorer, with 5 goals, despite falling short against Egypt in the final.
However, the supposed issues with the board and the staff became a cause for concern. On one occasion, Eto'o refused to come in as a late substitute, which turned into a media disaster. Ronaldinho publicly criticized him for being a selfish player, while Eto'o claimed he decided not to come in because he wasn't fully warmed up, considering his history of injuries. Matters became more serious when Rijkaard was replaced by Guardiola.
Pep Guardiola perceived a locker room past its prime and immersed in the Catalan nightlife, leading him to sell off certain players, including Ronaldinho and Deco. Eto'o, however, remained, despite some key players supporting him. Back in shape, Eto'o forced his way into the team and continued to score prolifically. Early in the season, he scored a hat-trick in just 24 minutes, the fastest in the club's history. Two weeks later, he scored four goals against Valladolid, despite not playing the full match.
Throughout the season, Samuel Eto'o displayed his ability to put out fires, extending the team's impressive streak of 29 matches without a loss. Even in the Champions League, where he didn't receive the expected game time, he showed up in important matches, contributing with a goal and an assist in the last 16 rounds and scoring against Bayern Munich. However, nothing showcased his value to the squad more than the Champions League final, where Barcelona faced defending champions Manchester United. Eto'o acted swiftly, scoring inside the first 10 minutes, securing not only another Champions League title but also the treble for Barcelona.
During this season, a tragic incident occurred when Eto'o prepared to take a corner and faced plastic bottles thrown from the stands and monkey chants. In response, he tried to leave the pitch in protest, and some players seemed unbothered by the incident.
In a future interview, Samuel Eto'o recalled the moment, saying, "At times, as a football player, you feel you can't be subject to racism because you only bring passion to the people, and you never expected your passion to be received with hate. That day I discovered that wasn't the case." This incident served as a reminder that racism should have no place in football, or anywhere.
Eto'o transformed from an unwanted castaway to a hero in Barcelona. He ended the season as the top scorer in the league and secured the treble, making Guardiola surely reconsider his earlier decision. However, Eto'o was no longer willing to stay, feeling that the team did not recognize his contributions. He had been playing out of position to make room for Messi, and had some disagreements with the young Argentine, as he believed he should have been regarded as the team's primary star.
Eto'o left Barcelona in a deal that made Guardiola even more regretful, as they traded Eto'o plus 46 million euros for Inter Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His move to Inter, where he was coached by Mourinho, was impeccably timed. Eto'o had a less impressive season but still managed to win the African Player of the Year award for a record fourth time. Although he didn't score a single goal in the Champions League knockout stage, he helped Inter win the tournament, assisting in the final against Bayern Munich. This marked his second consecutive treble, a historic achievement as he was the only player to accomplish this and one of only four players to win consecutive Champions Leagues with two different teams.
The following year, Rafa Benitez took over, and Eto'o enjoyed his last world-class season, scoring 36 goals and being exceptional in the Champions League. He began the tournament with an astonishing 10-goal contributions in the first four matches. Despite being the tournament's top scorer and top assist provider, Inter only had a 40% win rate throughout the tournament. Inter could only win the cup, with Eto'o scoring twice in the final. This would be his last game for the club.
Samuel Eto'o left to join the Russian club Anzhi the following season, earning a remarkable annual salary of 20 million euros, making him the highest earner in the world of football. He spent two seasons there but didn't win any trophies.
Afterward, he had stints at Chelsea, Everton, and Sampdoria, before joining Antalyaspor in Turkey. Here, he experienced a resurgence in goal-scoring form, with around 38 goals over two seasons. However, the team's results were poor, despite Eto'o's prolific scoring. His performance even earned him the title of player-coach, while the board was looking to hire a new manager.
Ultimately, Samuel Eto'o finished his career playing half a season at Konyaspor and a final season in Qatar. He possessed a remarkable combination of qualities. His mentality, versatile skill set, imposing physique, and lightning speed made him a formidable force. He could finesse a shot into the net with as much finesse as he could unleash a thunderous strike. In my view, he retired as the greatest African player of all time and one of the finest strikers the world has ever witnessed. While one could argue that he deserved a Ballon d’Or at some point, it's now a missed opportunity.