a écrit le 17 avril 2006 à 7h41 ETO'O suite
While he has been in outstanding form for his club, he has also had no difficulty in making headlines on the international stage. Indeed, Eto’o has made a huge impact for his country. At 17-years-old, he was selected to play for Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup finals, where he was the youngest player of the tournament. He played in the 2000 African Nations Cup where he scored four goals including a vital one in the Indomitable Lions’ win over Nigeria in the final that secured them the gold medal.
He again displayed his prowess for Cameroon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney where his goal helped them force Spain into extra time after a 2-2 draw during regulation time. Cameroon eventually won the Gold medal after a penalty shoot-out where Eto’o was again on target.
In 2002, he again won the African Nations Cup with his country and was part of the Indomitable Lions’ squad in the 2004, and 2006 finals, in the latter of which he became the tournament’s leading goal scorer with 5 goals. But unfortunately, Cameroon failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals after he missed a decisive penalty kick against the Ivory Coast.
If Eto’o has had any deep regret during the last year, then it might be related to the fact that he will be watching the 2006 World Cup finals on TV. A last-gasp penalty during Cameroon’s final qualifier against Egypt in October 2005 would have sent them through but Pierre Wome’s shot from the spot hit the post.
The post match developments saw contradictory statements from Eto’o and Wome about which of them should have taken that penalty and what led to Wome taking it. Wome later told a news conference that no one [including Eto’o] wanted to take the penalty shot. But the key fact in the scenario is that Cameroon failed to qualify for their fifth successive World Cup finals in Germany, even though many of Eto’o’s fans would have loved to see him in action.
Eto’o has not fallen short of football accolades. He is the reigning CAF African Footballer of the Year after consecutively winning it for the third time in 2005. On the bigger stage, he faced a tough challenge from his Barcelona team-mate Ronaldinho [who has been an essential supply source for many of Eto’o’s goals] and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard in the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year Award where he won third place. More titles and awards await him should he continue his top form for both club and country.
While he has been in outstanding form for his club, he has also had no difficulty in making headlines on the international stage. Indeed, Eto’o has made a huge impact for his country. At 17-years-old, he was selected to play for Cameroon at the 1998 World Cup finals, where he was the youngest player of the tournament. He played in the 2000 African Nations Cup where he scored four goals including a vital one in the Indomitable Lions’ win over Nigeria in the final that secured them the gold medal.
He again displayed his prowess for Cameroon at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney where his goal helped them force Spain into extra time after a 2-2 draw during regulation time. Cameroon eventually won the Gold medal after a penalty shoot-out where Eto’o was again on target.
In 2002, he again won the African Nations Cup with his country and was part of the Indomitable Lions’ squad in the 2004, and 2006 finals, in the latter of which he became the tournament’s leading goal scorer with 5 goals. But unfortunately, Cameroon failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals after he missed a decisive penalty kick against the Ivory Coast.
If Eto’o has had any deep regret during the last year, then it might be related to the fact that he will be watching the 2006 World Cup finals on TV. A last-gasp penalty during Cameroon’s final qualifier against Egypt in October 2005 would have sent them through but Pierre Wome’s shot from the spot hit the post.
The post match developments saw contradictory statements from Eto’o and Wome about which of them should have taken that penalty and what led to Wome taking it. Wome later told a news conference that no one [including Eto’o] wanted to take the penalty shot. But the key fact in the scenario is that Cameroon failed to qualify for their fifth successive World Cup finals in Germany, even though many of Eto’o’s fans would have loved to see him in action.
Eto’o has not fallen short of football accolades. He is the reigning CAF African Footballer of the Year after consecutively winning it for the third time in 2005. On the bigger stage, he faced a tough challenge from his Barcelona team-mate Ronaldinho [who has been an essential supply source for many of Eto’o’s goals] and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard in the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year Award where he won third place. More titles and awards await him should he continue his top form for both club and country.
