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Samuel Eto’o attacks a man outside the World Cup stadium
Samuel Eto
Shocking images have surfaced online of soccer legend and current Cameroonian FA president Samuel Eto’o attacking a man outside a stadium at the World Cup in Qatar.
Inter Milan and Chelsea
The incredible clip shows the former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker leaving Stadium 974 in Doha, having watched Brazil triumph against South Korea in their round of 16 match.
Daily Mail
At first, Eto’o seems happy to pose for photos with waiting fans as he leaves the venue, before a man with a video camera approaches him to his right, Daily Mail reported.
The footage, filmed by La Opinión, apparently shows the couple exchanging words, before the video cuts out a few seconds later, and Eto’o returns to the scene to confront the man.
World Cup
It is not clear what was said to irritate Eto’o, who is in Qatar in his role as a legacy ambassador for the 2022 World Cup, but he reacts furiously and starts shoving the cameraman.
At this point, several bystanders step in to try to quell the interruption, but Eto’o is determined to go after the man and eventually must stop him as he continues to try to confront him.
With four men holding Eto’o, footage shows him giving his phone to a man, before running out of the group to knee him in the face and knock him to the ground.
The brutal blow appears to occur as the man ducks, knocking him out as Eto’o returns to continue the confrontation.
Although understandably surprised, the unknown man is helped to his feet and does not appear to be seriously injured by the shocking blow, while Eto’o is again held back by two men.
As La Opinión reported, journalists quickly asked Eto’o what had happened, but he was “crazy” and security quickly took him away.
An hour before the ugly incident occurred, Eto’o was photographed inside the stadium with former NFL player Chad Johnson while watching the Brazil game.
Their main concern in Qatar was clearly watching their nation Cameroon and how their tournament unfold, but they met with a disappointing finish with a group stage knockout, despite a win over Brazil.
Daily Mail
Daily Mail has contacted Eto’o and the Cameroon Football Federation for comment.
Qatar SC
Eto’o retired from playing in 2019, following a spell in Qatar with Qatar SC. He is most famous for his stints with Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea, after coming through Real Madrid’s academy in 1997.
He also has 118 caps for his country, the second most of any player in history.
It is not the first time the 41-year-old has made headlines for non-footballing reasons in recent months, having received a 22-month suspended prison sentence in June for £3m tax fraud, failing to have declared the income from the transfer of image rights.
Barcelona and Inter Milan
According to Sport, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward admitted the offense but alleges that he was the victim of manipulation by his former agent José María Mesalles.
Puma and Barcelona
The fraud refers to the fact that Eto’o did not declare the income derived from the transfer of image rights to Puma and Barcelona in his personal income tax return between 2006 and 2009.
VIDEO: Samuel Eto’o attacks man outside World Cup stadium
Cameroon Football Federation
The president of the Cameroon Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o, was caught on camera physically assaulting a man outside the 974 Stadium in Qatar after a World Cup match. pic.twitter.com/E8tmn3GvEo
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) December 6, 2022
