9 - Samuel Eto'o

Maradona37

Well-known member
Don't you think he was less good also because there was players like Messi Ronaldinho Eto'o up front ? He couldn't score as many goals with that many talented offensive players and of course he couldn't get the light with Messi and Dinho.
Yeah that is a fair point too. Just think overall he was at his best at Arsenal. He was getting older (about 30) when he came to Barcelona and seemed to have lost a bit of pace.
 

Porque

Senior Member
He is indeed, Samuel Eto'o.

I always liked when he scored and done a dance celebration. The body was nimble and willing, but the face was like a cereal killer.
 

RevoTeller

Member
I want the community and those who remember what happened in football that season to give their opinion. Let me remind you that football year ended with 2 principal stories : FC Barcelona winning La Liga and the champions league, and Italy claiming the world cup. According to some analysts, my Idol you know big Samuel Eto'o was the best player in the world that season, which means he was above Dinho, Zidane, Henry and even the italians world champions. If there is something sure, Dinho and Eto'o were the best players of the club back then : Dinho the magician and Samu the most decisive player. Concerning Eto'o, I want to remind people that season he won as individual awards : AFCON's golden boot, pichichi trophy, assist leader in the champions, goalscorer and MVP in the final in Paris. He was at the pinacle of his art. Also, nowadays people tend to forget that season he was considered as the best player of the team by his teammates, his coach, president Laporta, Johan Cruyff the honour's president, Txiki and even some other great coaches, great players who were candidating for the award too and even the socios. That's some of the praises he got :



Dinho : It would be great if Eto'o win the ballon d'or, he deserves it and he's my friend.




Xavi and Villa : Eto'o should win the ballon d'or

Belletti : Now, Eto'o has to win the ballon d'or, he deserves it

Giuly : In my opinion, for the ballon d'or, Eto'o is number 1 and Ronaldinho number 2

Eto'o : Rijkaard deserves a ballon d'or

Joan Laporta : I hope Eto'o to win the ballon d'or

Johan Cruyff : Eto'o showed throughout the season he deserves the ballon d'or.

Not to mention great names like Henry, Zidane, Juninho, Drogba, Vieira, Villa, Anelka, Djorkaeff and great coaches as Wenger, Deschamps, Gerard Houiller, Guy Roux all claiming Eto'o as favourite for the award.

At the end he ended at the 6th position on the ranking, because of marketing and probably racism too. His lack of hype throughout the season compared to his opponents cost him the award. Ballon d'or is the most successful marketing.

Now guys I need your opinion about it, personally Cannavaro was a good defender but didn't deserve it, and no italian deserve because it was a collective success without a big star carrying up the team. I also wanted by this thread to give back Eto'o the praise and recognition he deserves because people nowadays tend to do shameful comparisons because as cameroonian he lacks that hype to put him and his carreer on the light. I think to get all those praises playing in the same team than freaking Ronaldinho, you sure have to be a freaking legend.

Great post and summary of those forgotten media records.
Yes, Samuel Eto'o deserved Ballon d'Or at that time, anyway the fact they didn't award it to him does not decrease his value one bit.
He still is the best striker Barcelona FC has had during the latest 22 years and a true winner on the pitch. ;)
 

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