Shocking footage has emerged online of football legend and current Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto’o attacking a man outside a stadium at the World Cup in Qatar.
The incredible clip shows the former striker leaving Stadium 974 in Doha, having just watched Brazil romp to victory against South Korea in their round-of-16 match.
At first, Eto’o appears happy to pose for photos with waiting fans as he makes his way out of the venue, before a man with a video camera approaches him to his right.
The footage, filmed by La Opinion, then seemingly shows the pair exchanging words, before the video cuts to a few seconds later, and Eto’o returning to the scene to confront the man.
It is unclear what was said to rile Eto’o – who is in Qatar in his role as World Cup 2022 legacy ambassador – but he reacts furiously and begins to push the cameraman.
At this point, various onlookers step in to try and quell the disruption, but Eto’o is set on chasing the man and eventually has to be held back as he continues to try and confront him.
With four men holding Eto’o back, the footage then shows him giving his phone to a man, before breaking out of the huddle to knee the man in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Although understandably shocked, the unknown man is helped to his feet and did not appear to be badly hurt by the shocking blow, while Eto’o is held back again by two men.
Meanwhile, an Algerian YouTuber who claims he is the man kneed in the chest by Samuel Eto’o has said he has reported the ex-footballer to police in Dubai.
The Algerian YouTuber was named in Spain as Said Mamouni, with more than 66,000 subscribers. A video emerged of the North African showing off his injuries and broken camera.
Spanish press reported that Mamouni is claiming Eto’o lost his temper after he asked him about referee Bakary Papa Gassama, and whether Eto’o had given him a bribe before Cameroon’s playoff victory over Algeria in March, granting his team a place in the World Cup.
The Gambian referee officiated the World Cup play-off second-leg between Algeria and Cameroon in Algiers earlier this year.
Cameroon won the match but afterwards the Algerian Football Federation sent a request to FIFA asking for a replay having claimed that the referee’s performance was unsatisfactory.
Despite the controversy Papa Gassama was one of the eight referees from Africa selected for the World Cup in Qatar.Eto has issued an apology.
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
