Cameroonian star Samuel Eto'o retires from football

African football icon Samuel Eto'o Fils has called time on his storied football career which spanned nearly  2 decades and about 14 football teams across the length and breadth of the globe at age 38.

He took to his Instagram page to announce his retirement from the beautiful game and I believe the green turf will miss his grace on the field, panache and finesse in slotting the ball past goalies and his often exuberant celebrations.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2FMYYBCAAk/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Eto’o posted an image of himself in the dark with the following statement: "The end. Towards a new challenge. Thank you all, big love."

What he player he was,Etoo began his footballing career in his native Cameroon at a small town football club named Kadji Sports Academy.

After which he was poached by Spanish giants Real Madrid  but was loaned to Leganes, Espanyol and Mallorca.

He signed permanently for the latter, where he finished with 70 goals in 165 appearances for the La Liga side.

Barcelona realizing his potential quickly snapped him up for 24 million euros where he went on to establish himself as undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world.

He had five incredibly successful seasons  at the Camp Nou, scoring 130 in 199 matches. He also got his hands on three La Ligas, a Copa del Rey, two Supercopa de Espana and two Champions Leagues - scoring in the final of both.

In summer of 2008 in Pep Guardiola's first season he quit the Catalans after helping them to a treble.He was part of a swap deal involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Inter Milan with Barcelona adding a whopping million euros as part exchange.

At Inter Milan he continued his rich goal scoring form and the ritual of winning trophies wherever he played .

Two seasons at the San Siro saw him score 53 goals in 102 matches, winning Serie A, two Coppa Italian, a Supercoppa Italiana, another Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup.

He then began his globe trotting across the world hopping from club to club with his first stop was then money bags in Russia  Anzhi Makhachkala, England with Chelsea and Everton, Italy with Sampdoria, Turkey with Antalyaspor and Konyaspor and finally Qatar with Qatar SC.

As usual he continued doing what he does best that is banging in the  goals.

Here’s a total list of all of his trophies and records won, both with his club and individually:

—842 games
—416 goals
—121 assists
—20 trophies

Mallorca

• Copa del Rey: 2002–03

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09


• Copa del Rey: 2008–09


• Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006


• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09

Inter Milan

• Serie A: 2009–10


• Coppa Italia: 2009–10, 2010–11


• Supercoppa Italiana: 2010


• UEFA Champions League: 2009–10


• FIFA Club World Cup: 2010

Cameroon

• African Cup of Nations: 2000, 2002


• Olympic Gold Medal: 2000

Individual

• Young African Player of the Year: 2000


• African Player of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010


• ESM Team of the Year: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11


• FIFA World Player of the Year Bronze Award: 2005


• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006


• UEFA Team of the Year: 2005, 2006


• CAF Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011


• Pichichi Trophy: 2005–06


• UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2005–06


• African Cup of Nations top goalscorer: 2006, 2008


• UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2006


• FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2010


• Coppa Italia top goalscorer: 2010–11


• Russian Premier League MVP Award: 2012–13


• Golden Foot: 2015


• Globe Soccer Player Career Award: 2016

Records

• 
  
  • African Cup of Nations all-time top goalscorer
  
  
  • RCD Mallorca all-time top goalscorer
  
  
  • Cameroon all-time top goalscorer