Eto’o Replies El Hadji Diouf Over Greatest African Player Claim

Legendary Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o has insisted there is no debate over who the greatest African player of all time is, following claims made by Senegal legend El Hadji Diouf.

Eto’o won the CAF African Player of the Year award on a joint-record four occasions throughout his career, while Didier Drogba and Diouf both won two.

And Eto’o does not mince words about where he ranks against the pair, and in African football history.

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“Even if my brother Diouf the last time, with an extra glass, got a little lost, there is no debate”, said Eto’o, who referenced a video where Diouf appeared to be drunk.

“None of them [Diouf and Drogba] can come and say that they were at my level or better. And it’s not the fact that I say it, it’s a fact, it’s something that is there. I wanted to be number one and I have been throughout my career.”

Diouf won the African Player award  in 2001 and 2002 and was pivotal to Senegal’s run in the 2002 World Cup, which helped earn him a transfer to Liverpool.

Eto’o won the award in 2003, 2004 and 2005 each time beating Drogba in second.

Drogba eventually won the award in 2006 and 2009, before Eto’o claimed the trophy for a fourth and final time in 2010.

Both Drogba and Eto’o secured impressive trophy hauls with their respective clubs during their playing days.

They also each won the Champions League, with Eto’o doing so three times (2006, 2009 and 2010), while Drogba helped Chelsea to their first ever triumph in 2012.

Eto’o also won the African Cup of Nations twice with his country in 2000 and 2002- a feat neither Drogba nor Diouf managed to achieve.

Several other players could also lay claim to being Africa’s greatest player though, with George Weah and Abedi Pele previously dominating the annual award.

Yaya Toure has also won the award four times since Eto’o’s triumphs, while recent years have been fought over between Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

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