Editing Samuel Eto'o (section)

==Style of play==
[[File:Samuel Eto'o (Inter).jpg|thumb|upright|In his prime Eto'o was extremely quick and possessed excellent [[dribbling]] ability with close ball control]]
Eto'o was a fast, strong, and energetic [[Forward (association football)|forward]], who was known for his stamina, work-rate, ability in the air, and his accurate finishing ability both with his head and feet.<ref name="Chelsea's Mr Right: Why Samuel Eto’o is set to succeed in England">{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4375/editorials/2013/08/30/4224320/chelseas-mr-right-why-samuel-etoo-is-set-to-succeed-in|title=Chelsea's Mr Right: Why Samuel Eto'o is set to succeed in England|publisher=Goal.com|date=30 August 2013|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228210827/http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4375/editorials/2013/08/30/4224320/chelseas-mr-right-why-samuel-etoo-is-set-to-succeed-in|archive-date=28 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="Ma Eto'o è più forte di Ibra?">{{cite web|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/SerieA/Inter/22-07-2009/ma-eto-o-piu-forte-ibra-50831763820.shtml|title=Ma Eto'o è più forte di Ibra?|publisher=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=it|author1=Alessandro De Calò|date=22 July 2009|access-date=27 December 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731231242/http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/SerieA/Inter/22-07-2009/ma-eto-o-piu-forte-ibra-50831763820.shtml|archive-date=31 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chelseafc.com/news/blogs/boilerplate-allincfc/allincfc/a-look-at-samuel-etoo.html|title=A look at Samuel Eto'o|publisher=Chelsea F.C.com|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215005318/http://www.chelseafc.com/news/blogs/boilerplate-allincfc/allincfc/a-look-at-samuel-etoo.html|archive-date=15 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/11189192/Evertons-Samuel-Etoo-has-found-his-spark-again-and-could-repay-Roberto-Martinezs-faith-in-him.html|title=Everton's Samuel Eto'o has found his spark again and could repay Roberto Martinez's faith in him|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223082027/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/11189192/Evertons-Samuel-Etoo-has-found-his-spark-again-and-could-repay-Roberto-Martinezs-faith-in-him.html|archive-date=23 December 2014|date=26 October 2014|last1=Smith|first1=Alan}}</ref> A powerful and prolific goalscorer with good technique, composure in front of goal, and an ability to play off other forwards,<ref name="Ma Eto'o è più forte di Ibra?"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2009/12/21/inter-saluta-con-eto-ma-calcio.html|title=L' Inter saluta con Eto' o ma è calcio su ghiaccio|publisher=La Repubblica|language=it|date=21 December 2009|access-date=14 December 2014}}</ref> Eto'o was primarily deployed as a central [[Forward (association football)#Striker|striker]], although he was also a team player; indeed, during his time at Inter, under [[José Mourinho]], he demonstrated notable tactical intelligence and versatility by playing in several other positions on the pitch.<ref name="Chelsea's Mr Right: Why Samuel Eto’o is set to succeed in England"/><ref name="deserved">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49752840 |title=Mourinho: 'Eto'o deserved to win a Ballon d'Or' |work=BBC Sport |last1=Enow |first1=Njie |date=19 September 2019 |access-date=29 July 2021 }}</ref> During Inter's 2009–10 treble-winning season, Eto'o played an important role in the squad, and was utilised as a [[Midfielder#Winger|winger]] or even as an [[Midfielder#Attacking midfielder|attacking midfielder]] on the left flank in Mourinho's 4–2–3–1 formation, where he was primarily required to help his team creatively and defensively with his link-up play and work-rate off the ball, which frequently saw him to track back.<ref name="Ma Eto'o è più forte di Ibra?"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://it.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/01e5-0e74a1fa2751-0b31ec2bbe78-1000--eto-o-e-la-regola-del-tre/|title=Eto'o e la regola del tre|date=25 May 2010|publisher=[[UEFA]]|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215005814/http://it.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=1492408.html|archive-date=15 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goal.com/en/lists/african-legends-cup-of-nations-etoo-vs-okocha/1elem2ludicww16r63f4xy5sjt |title=African Legends Cup of Nations: Eto'o vs Okocha |publisher=www.goal.com |last1=Dove |first1=Ed |date=15 May 2020 |access-date=4 July 2020 }}</ref><ref name="world's best striker">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/piersedwards/2010/11/six_months_ago_the_question.html |title=Is Samuel Eto'o the world's best striker? |work=www.bbc.co.uk |last1=Edwards |first1=Piers |date=5 November 2010 |access-date=29 July 2021 }}</ref><ref name="tears">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/20/mourinho-tears-and-defiance-the-story-of-inters-2009-10-season |title=Mourinho, tears and defiance: the story of Inter's 2009-10 season |work=The Guardian |last=Bandini |first=Nicky |date=20 April 2020 |access-date=29 July 2021 }}</ref> During the return leg of the Champions League semi-final match against his former club Barcelona, Eto'o further demonstrated his work-rate and versatility by playing as a makeshift right-sided attacking [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|full-back]] or [[Defender (association football)#Wing-back|wing-back]] following [[Thiago Motta]]'s controversial sending-off.<ref name="deserved"/><ref name="world's best striker"/><ref name="tears"/><ref name="Un promemoria su Samuel Eto'o per Raiola">{{cite web|url=http://www.fcinternews.it/visti-da-voi/un-promemoria-su-samuel-eto-o-per-raiola-20382|title=Un promemoria su Samuel Eto'o per Raiola|publisher=F.C. Inter News.it|language=it|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219111619/http://www.fcinternews.it/visti-da-voi/un-promemoria-su-samuel-eto-o-per-raiola-20382|archive-date=19 December 2014}}</ref> Eto'o has also been renowned for his leadership, opportunism and mentality throughout his career.<ref name="Un promemoria su Samuel Eto'o per Raiola"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/30/samuel-eto-o-everton-roberto-martinez|title='Gift from footballing gods' Samuel Eto'o on course for new Everton deal|work=The Guardian|date=30 October 2014|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213054529/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/30/samuel-eto-o-everton-roberto-martinez|archive-date=13 December 2014}}</ref>

In his prime, Eto'o was regarded by pundits as one of the best strikers in the world;<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.inter.it/en/news/36530|title=Leonardo: "Eto'o, one of the world's best"|publisher=Inter.it|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215002842/http://www.inter.it/en/news/36530|archive-date=15 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="world's best striker"/><ref name="deserved"/> he is currently regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time.<ref name=britannica.com>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/760468/Samuel-Etoo|title=Samuel Eto'o|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|website=britannica.com|access-date=14 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010011103/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/760468/Samuel-Etoo|archive-date=10 October 2014}}</ref> He is often ranked among the three greatest African strikers, alongside [[George Weah]] and [[Didier Drogba]].<ref name="Greatest">{{cite news |title=Top 10 Greatest African Strikers |url=http://www.joburgpost.co.za/2017/06/06/top-10-greatest-african-strikers/ |access-date=23 August 2018 |work=Johannesburg Post}}</ref><ref name="African strikers">{{cite news |title=Where Didier Drogba Ranks Alongside Africa's 20 Best Strikers |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1973969-where-didier-drogba-ranks-alongside-africas-20-best-strikers#slide16 |access-date=23 August 2018 |work=Bleacher Report}}</ref> Despite losing some of his speed with age, he continued to maintain a consistent goalscoring rate as a striker, due to his ability to get into good positions and time his attacking runs, as shown by his goal in a 6–3 loss against Chelsea on 30 August 2014, during his time with Everton.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28906778|title=Everton 3 Chelsea 6|publisher=BBC Sport.com|first1=Chris|last1=Bevan|date=30 August 2014|access-date=7 January 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105140152/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28906778|archive-date=5 January 2016}}</ref> Beyond his speed and goalscoring, Eto'o was also known for his first touch, close control, and passing ability in his prime; even in his advancing age, he maintained his [[Dribbling#Association football|dribbling]] skills in his later career, which he used to his advantage to beat defenders and assist or create chances for teammates.<ref name="world's best striker"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whoscored.com/Players/159|title=Eto'o style of play and statistics.|website=whoscored.com|access-date=25 June 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626115146/http://www.whoscored.com/Players/159|archive-date=26 June 2015}}</ref> In his mid-thirties Eto'o incorporated an ‘old man’ routine in his [[goal celebration]] – a response to jibes by José Mourinho about being too old – where he bent over and started walking slowly with an imaginary cane, with the celebration featuring in EA Sports’ ''[[FIFA (video game series)|FIFA]]'' video game ''[[FIFA 18]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=How to do the 12 new FIFA 18 celebrations – plus more of our favourites |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/how-do-12-new-fifa-18-celebrations-plus-more-our-favourites?page=0%2C2 |access-date=11 October 2018 |work=FourFourTwo}}</ref>