Former Football Star Samuel Eto'o 'Apologizes' For Attacking a Fan

In the aftermath of a physical altercation between Samuel Eto'o and an Algerian YouTuber (identified as Said Mamouni), the ex-Barcelona and Chelsea striker issued a statement apologizing for the incident, though it was clear that Eto'o was still upset.

The statement is as follows:

Samuel Eto’o is a former Cameroonian footballer that retired game in 2019, following a spell in Qatar with Qatar SC. He has the second most number of caps of any player in his country at 118 and is most famous for his tenures at Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Chelsea.

The incident occurred yesterday after Brazil beat South Korea 4-1 at Stadium 974 in Doha. Eto'o was taking photos with fans when Mamouni approached him while holding a camera.

It was reported that Eto'o lost his temper when Mamouni asked whether Eto'o had bribed the referee before Cameroon's crucial playoff victory over Algeria in March, which granted his side a place at the World Cup in Qatar.

The former striker had reacted in anger, initially pushing the cameraman before the confrontation escalated physically. When Mamouni was bending down, and Eto'o was held back by four men, the former player broke out of their hold and kneed the cameraman in the face.

Following the incident, the Algerian FA released a statement that stated, “The FAF is determined to use all legally permitted means to have its rights restored and to replay the match under conditions guaranteeing the honesty and partiality of the referee.”

The statement also said that a request for an investigation on the arbitration of the Algeria-Cameroon match was sent.