Young Samuel Eto’o is a dynamic mixture of Roger Milla’s thirst for goals and Jean-Manga Onguene’s succulent skills.
At just 20, the audacity with which he splits defences and scores is phenomenal.
No wonder Real Madrid pinched him from his hideout in Avenir Douala in Cameroon five-and-a-half years ago.
Since then he has moved on to Mallorca and helped them to third position in the Spanish League last season.
Aged 21, Eto’o is already used to success
It makes the price Mallorca paid for him, £4.4m, look like a very good deal.
Few of his contemporary countrymen can boast of so much success at such a young age.
Only Patrick Mboma, former African footballer of the year, can equal his great club career, Nations Cup winners medal and Olympic gold.
Despite going to the last World Cup, Japan and Korea will be the first time Eto’o plays on football’s biggest stage.
He was not given a chance in France 98 when Cameroon were eliminated in the first round, sitting on the bench in each of the three games.
But after playing a leading role in the Olympic and double Nations Cup triumphs of 2000 and 2002, Eto’o is certainly ready to lend his weight to the Lions’ campaign at the World Cup.
And he believes they have the perfect man at the helm in German manager Winfried Schafer.
We’ve had the same squad since 1998 so that’s a plus
Schafer took over last September and, after guiding the Indomitable Lions to this year’s African Nations Cup, must now plan a way to beat his own country in Group E.
« Germany is the strongest team in our group, so it’s good we have a German trainer, » Eto’o told BBC Sport Online.
« Schafer will help us master the skills we need to face the Germans.
« Our performance at the World Cup will depend on him. »
Eto’o also believes the team can re-enact the magic of the 1990 side which reached the quarter-finals in Italy.
« We’ve had the same squad since 1998, so that’s a plus, » he said.
« But we have to realise that for every tournament it means starting from zero, from afresh.
« Theoretically, we’re in an easy group but the proof lies in our playing. »
