Editing Samuel Eto'o (section)

===Inter Milan===
====2009–10: Historical treble-winning campaign====
[[File:Samuel Eto'o - Inter Mailand (1).jpg|thumb|upright|left|Eto’o playing for [[Inter Milan]] in August 2009]]
After [[Maxwell (footballer, born 1981)|Maxwell]] completed the transfer from Inter Milan, Joan Laporta confirmed that there was an agreement in principle between Barcelona and Inter Milan for [[Zlatan Ibrahimović]] to join the club in exchange for Eto'o and €46 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/english/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090717105959.html|title=Laporta announces agreement in principle with Inter|date=17 July 2009|access-date=23 July 2009|publisher=FC Barcelona|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526092345/http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/english/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090717105959.html|archive-date=26 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/castellano/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090727107758.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110706220728/http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/castellano/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090727107758.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 July 2011|title=Ibrahimovic firma por cinco años|date=27 July 2009|access-date=27 July 2009|publisher=FC Barcelona|language=es}}</ref> After Ibrahimović agreed terms with Barcelona, the club announced Eto'o would travel to [[Milan]] for his medical to complete the transfer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090724107725.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526092347/http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/noticies/futbol/temporada09-10/07/n090724107725.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 May 2012|title=Ibrahimovic will arrive on Sunday|date=24 July 2009|access-date=25 July 2009|publisher=FC Barcelona}}</ref>

On 27 July 2009, Eto'o passed his medical and signed for five years with Inter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=31823&L=en|title=Samuel Eto'o signs five-year deal|publisher=inter.it|date=27 July 2009|access-date=28 July 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090814033845/http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=31823&L=en|archive-date=14 August 2009}}</ref> On his first press-conference in Milan, he declared that he was where he wanted to be and refused to compare himself to Ibrahimović saying, "I'm Samuel Eto'o and I don't want to compare myself to anyone. I believe the victories I have earned up to now can contribute to giving the right value to my name."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=31833&L=en|title=Eto'o: "I'm where I wanted to be"|publisher=inter.it|date=28 July 2009|access-date=29 July 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731150611/http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=31833&L=en|archive-date=31 July 2009}}</ref> On 8 August, Eto'o
scored on his competitive debut in the [[2009 Supercoppa Italiana]] as Inter lost 1–2 to [[S.S. Lazio|Lazio]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sport.sky.it/calcio/2009/08/08/supercoppa_italiana_inter_lazio.html|title=Inter cuore e grinta, ma la Supercoppa è della Lazio|trans-title=Inter heart and grinta, but the Supercoppa is of Lazio|publisher=Sky Sport|language=it|date=8 August 2009|access-date=8 August 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314042609/https://sport.sky.it/calcio/2009/08/08/supercoppa_italiana_inter_lazio.html|archive-date=14 March 2018}}</ref> Two weeks later, Eto'o scored [[Penalty kick (association football)|from the penalty spot]] against [[F.C. Bari 1908|Bari]] in his first [[Serie A]] match.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.inter.it/en/news/32001/serie-a-inter-1-1-bari|title=SERIE A: INTER 1-1 BARI|publisher=inter.it|date=23 August 2009|access-date=23 August 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314042604/http://www.inter.it/en/news/32001/serie-a-inter-1-1-bari|archive-date=14 March 2018}}</ref> In the following match, the [[Derby della Madonnina]] against [[A.C. Milan|Milan]], Eto'o won Inter a penalty after being brought down by [[Gennaro Gattuso]] in the box; Milito scored the penalty and Gattuso was yellow carded and eventually sent off. Inter won the match 4–0.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/aug/29/serieafootball-acmilan|title=Internazionale thrash ten-man Milan in one-sided derby|work=The Guardian|date=29 August 2009|access-date=29 August 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216115834/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/aug/29/serieafootball-acmilan|archive-date=16 February 2010}}</ref> Eto'o scored again on 13 September against [[Parma Calcio 1913|Parma]], his first goal from open play in a Serie A match.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/86/italy/2009/09/13/1498729/inter-2-0-parma-etoo-milito-break-down-dogged-parma|title=Inter 2-0 Parma: Eto'o & Milito Break Down Dogged Parma|publisher=Goal.com|first=Adam|last=Scime|date=13 September 2009|access-date=22 September 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090922185412/http://goal.com/en-us/news/86/italy/2009/09/13/1498729/inter-2-0-parma-etoo-milito-break-down-dogged-parma|archive-date=22 September 2009}}</ref>

At the end of September 2009, Eto'o demanded almost £2.75 million from Barcelona after his transfer to Inter. The amount represented 15% of the £17.7 million (US$29 million) fee which Inter paid Barcelona in July 2009. The demand was based on a Spanish rule that a player should get 15% of the amount of his transfer to another Spanish club. If the parties failed to reach a solution, the matter could go to court.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8269115.stm|title=Eto'o seeks payout from Barcelona|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 September 2009|access-date=22 September 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925171212/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8269115.stm|archive-date=25 September 2009}}</ref>

[[File:Samuel Eto'o 2009.jpg|thumb|Eto'o playing in the [[UEFA Champions League]] with Inter Milan, a competition he would win for the third time in his career]]
Eto'o scored his first Serie A brace on 29 October during a 5–3 win over [[U.S. Città di Palermo|Palermo]], with [[Mario Balotelli]] also scoring twice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/inter-vs-palermo/111259|title=Inter survive Palermo scare|publisher=Sky Sports|date=29 October 2009|access-date=29 October 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313214333/http://www.skysports.com/football/inter-vs-palermo/111259|archive-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> On 1 December 2009, Eto'o finished fifth in voting for the [[Ballon d'Or]], which was won by his former Barcelona teammate [[Lionel Messi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-44372920091201|title=2009 Ballon d'Or final standings|publisher=Reuters|date=1 December 2009|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref> Eight days later, he scored his first [[UEFA Champions League]] goal for the team in the final [[2009–10 UEFA Champions League group stage#Group F|Group F]] match against [[FC Rubin Kazan|Rubin Kazan]] to help Inter win 2–0 at home and progress to the knockout stage as runner-ups.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2009/12/09/1676927/inter-2-0-rubin-kazan-samuel-etoo-mario-balotelli-take-the|title=Inter 2-0 Rubin Kazan: Samuel Eto'o & Mario Balotelli Take The Nerazzurri Through|publisher=Goal.com|first=Anthony|last=Sormani|date=9 December 2009|access-date=9 December 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213114114/http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2009/12/09/1676927/inter-2-0-rubin-kazan-samuel-etoo-mario-balotelli-take-the|archive-date=13 December 2009}}</ref> Eto'o continued to be a protagonist for Inter in Europe, netting the winner in the second leg of [[2009–10 UEFA Champions League knockout phase|2009–10 UEFA Champions League round of 16]] against [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] on 16 March 2010, which allowed Inter to progress to the quarter-finals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8568613.stm|title=Chelsea 0-1 Inter Milan (agg 1-3)|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Phil|last=McNulty|date=16 March 2010|access-date=16 March 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317053748/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8568613.stm|archive-date=17 March 2010}}</ref> He scored his first goal in [[2009–10 Coppa Italia|Coppa Italia]] on 13 April against [[ACF Fiorentina|Fiorentina]] in the second of semi-finals to help Inter win 1–0 at [[Stadio Artemio Franchi]] and progress in the final 2–0 on aggregate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2010/04/13/italy/coppa-italia/acf-fiorentina/fc-internazionale-milano/904440/|title=Fiorentina vs. Internazionale 0 – 1|publisher=Soccerway|date=13 April 2010|access-date=13 April 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221074454/http://int.soccerway.com/matches/2010/04/13/italy/coppa-italia/acf-fiorentina/fc-internazionale-milano/904440/|archive-date=21 February 2013}}</ref> Eto'o won his first silverware with the club on 5 May as Inter defeated [[A.S. Roma|Roma]] 1–0 at [[Stadio Olimpico]] to lift the Coppa Italia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/2177/coppa-italia/2010/05/06/1910660/inter-1-0-roma-diego-milito-wins-the-coppa-italia-for-the|title=Inter 1-0 Roma: Diego Milito Wins The Coppa Italia For The Nerazzurri|publisher=Goal.com|first=Subhankar|last=Mondal|date=5 May 2010|access-date=5 May 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507132645/http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/2177/coppa-italia/2010/05/06/1910660/inter-1-0-roma-diego-milito-wins-the-coppa-italia-for-the|archive-date=7 May 2010}}</ref> His 12 Serie A goals helped Inter claim another championship, the fifth consecutive, after defeating [[S.S. Robur Siena|Siena]] in the final matchday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italian-football/2010/05/16/1927368/siena-0-1-inter-diego-milito-secures-scudetto-for-nerazzurri|title=Siena 0-1 Inter: Diego Milito Secures Scudetto For Nerazzurri|publisher=Goal.com|first=Adam|last=Scime|date=16 May 2010|access-date=16 May 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313214256/http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italian-football/2010/05/16/1927368/siena-0-1-inter-diego-milito-secures-scudetto-for-nerazzurri|archive-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> On 22 May 2010, Eto'o played in the third [[2010 UEFA Champions League Final|Champions League final]] of his career, as Inter won 2–0 over [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] to win the first title in 45 years; Milito scored both goals, with Eto'o setting up the second.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0522/265451-bayernmunich_intermilan/|title=Inter Milan crowned champions of Europe|publisher=RTE|date=22 May 2010|access-date=22 May 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313214242/https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0522/265451-bayernmunich_intermilan/|archive-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> With Inter's triumph over Bayern Munich, he became the only player to win the [[Treble (association football)|treble]] in consecutive seasons with two different teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8697017.stm|title=Bayern Munich 0 - 2 Inter Milan|publisher=BBC Sport|first=Sam|last=Lyon|date=22 May 2010|access-date=22 May 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524102843/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8697017.stm|archive-date=24 May 2010}}</ref>

====2010–11: Most goals in one season, more trophies and departure====
On 21 August 2010, Eto'o scored twice as Inter beat Roma 3–1 to win the [[2010 Supercoppa Italiana|Supercoppa Italiana]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=816536&sec=europe&cc=5739|title=Benitez begins Inter reign with Supercoppa triumph|date=21 August 2010|work=[[ESPNsoccernet]]|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=23 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824022833/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=816536&sec=europe&cc=5739|archive-date=24 August 2010}}</ref> His first hat trick for Inter [[List of UEFA Champions League hat-tricks|occurred in the UEFA Champions League]] against Werder Bremen on 29 September 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=307788&league=UEFA.CHAMPIONS&cc=5739|title=Irresistible Eto'o fires hat-trick|date=29 September 2010|work=[[ESPNsoccernet]]|publisher=[[ESPN FC]]|access-date=30 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006105110/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=307788&cc=5739&league=UEFA.CHAMPIONS|archive-date=6 October 2010}}</ref> Inter won the game 4–0, with Eto'o saying, "We will remain humble because we know that there are sides out there that are better than us, so we will just take it one match at a time and we will go as far as it takes us."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/general/story?id=5630720&src=desktop&rand=ref~%7B%22ref%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F%22%7D|title=Samuel Eto'o nets hat trick; Man U wins|publisher=ESPN FC|date=29 September 2011|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref> In December, Eto'o played in the [[2010 FIFA Club World Cup]];<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.inter.it/en/news/35146|title=Inter squad for FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2010|website=inter.it|publisher=Inter Milan|date=29 November 2010|access-date=27 July 2018}}</ref> he scored against [[TP Mazembe]] in the [[2010 FIFA Club World Cup Final|final]] as Inter won 3–0 and lifted their fifth trophy of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/sports/soccer/19soccer.html|title=Seventh Best in Italy, Inter Is World's No. 1|work=The New York Times|date=18 December 2010|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref> Additionally, he was named the best player of the tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/clubworldcup/uae2010|title=Inter rule the world, Mazembe make history|publisher=FIFA|date=18 December 2010|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref>

Continuing his outstanding form in Serie A and in the Champions League for the [[2010–11 Inter Milan season|2010–11 campaign]], he was pivotal to Inter's attack line.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/479536-inter-milans-samuel-etoo-is-the-worlds-best-striker|title=Inter Milan's Samuel Eto'o Is the World's Best Striker|publisher=Bleacher Report|date=1 October 2010|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref> On 16 March 2011, Eto'o gave a legendary performance in [[Munich]] as he helped Inter eliminate Bayern Munich 3–2 (with an aggregate score of 3–3, winning on away goals) in the Champions League. Eto'o scored the first goal after four minutes, and provided two clinical assists to [[Wesley Sneijder]] and to [[Goran Pandev]] for the winner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/mar/15/bayern-munich-internazionale-champions-league|title=Goran Pandev strikes late as Inter leave Bayern Munich devastated again|work=The Guardian|date=15 March 2011|access-date=27 July 2018}}</ref> After the game, Inter President [[Massimo Moratti]] said, "I'm not sure if the deal that brought Eto'o to the club was my best piece of transfer business ever, but I really think it was a great piece of business for us. Eto'o is fantastic. I do not want to take anything away from Ibrahimović, but for everyone it was really a great deal to get Eto'o. Samuel is truly extraordinary." On 29 May, Eto'o scored two goals in the [[2011 Coppa Italia Final|final]] of the Coppa Italia against Palermo to help Inter win 3–1 and taking his total season goals to 37, a new record high for him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/59761/inter-vs-palermo/report|title=Inter vs Palermo Report|date=29 May 2011|publisher=Goal.com|access-date=31 May 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601010807/http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/59761/inter-vs-palermo/report|archive-date=1 June 2011}}</ref>

On 25 August 2011, Eto'o announced his departure from Inter Milan via an open letter to the fans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/820321-samuel-etoo-bids-farewell-to-inter-milan-with-a-letter|title=Samuel Eto'o Bids Farewell to Inter Milan with a Letter|publisher=Bleacher Report|date=25 August 2011|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref>