9 - Samuel Eto'o

[BBZ8800]

Interesting.

But then the truth would be that there is discrimination against Cameroonian or, more broadly, against African players. Because Eto'o wasn't only beat by Ronaldinho that year, he was beat to the podium by Lampard and Gerrard. In the previous year he was beat by Deco too, and later years by Buffon, Henry, Cristiano, and Messi.

Probably that's what he meant, and I think Toure said that too recently. Not that I agree with it.

What Etoo said is the truth, imo.

Football is a fair play sport, but only to some extent.
For example, most of our fans will deny it, but in Champions league, Barcelona, Real and similar teams are often "pushed" by referees, in some situations.
I am not saying that our results are good (only) because of referees, but for example, Barca or Real will get 6:4 or 7:3 decisions which are 50:50 in their favor, against teams like Borussia, Schalke, Psg etc.

The same is in qualifying groups for World cup or European cup, where Italy, France, England and similar will usually get a boost if they will get into troubles against Georgia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Norway or any random average/weaker team who is causing "troubles" in their group.

Or at World cups, "big teams" and home teams are always "pushed" through a group stage, if possible, and at least to 1/4 finals.

Anyway, Barca and Real are pushed (if needed), because Barca:Real or Barca:Bayern final will get more sponsors/people watching all around the world, than a Atletico:Schalke/Psg final.
People want to see epic duels between Messi and Ronaldo and similar.
Or Ronaldinho vs Zidane in the past etc.

On a World cup, people want to see Argentina:Brasil or Brasil:Spain or Germany:Italy and similar matches in semis and in finals.
Not too many want to watch Croatia:Colombia final, for example.
Again, bigger names in the finals will bring more people watch the match all around the world, more sponsors, more "talk" about the match and world cup.
-- so, in that sense, if Croatia or Colombia can win 3:0 against Brasil and kick them out, referees won't interfere, because they can't do anything
-- but if the result is 1:1 or similar, you can expect a penaldo for Brasil, red card for the opponent, a lot of 50:50 duels in favor of a bigger team etc
= and in the end, a bigger team will usually win 7:3 or 8:2 of those matches, with a little help from the Fifa and referees

The same is with Borussia/Arsenal/Liverpool/Roma against Barca or Real
-- if we trash them 5:0, everything is ok
-- but if we will get into troubles with 1:1 and similar, you can expect "a lucky" penaldo for us, a red card for opponent, some strange onside/offside decisions etc
-- the only way for a weaker team to kick bigger teams out from CL is to trash them 3:0, so that Uefa and referees can't help

So, when Barca and Real play in CL finals, referees don't care about the winners. We will get a fair game then. (Because both teams are big teams)
Also, when 2 crap teams play in group stage, you will get a fair play game by Uefa.
But, whenever is possible, Fifa and Uefa will slightly help to Brasil, Argentina, Italy, Germany, Spain, France (remember the scandal vs Ireland a few years ago, lol), and the same applies to Barca, Real, Bayern, Chelsea in CL.

The same system works with Ballon'd'or.
Fifa's goal is again to have fancy and famous players from top teams, and from bigger nations.
That will bring more buzz about football in general, more sponsors, more viewers etc.

So, for example, a battle between Messi and Ronaldo is not rigged, because both play in Barca and Real, and it is irrelevant who will win.
The winner will be a guy who played better that year.
But, no matter how well will Suarez play, he will never stand a chance against Messi or Neymar, because they are from bigger countries.
Also, even if Atletico Madrid won the CL, their players wouldn't get awards.
For example, imagine if Arda was the best player last Season (which he wasn't), but there is no way that a player from Turkey and from Atletico gets an award.
That just doesn't attract sponsors and money.

So, in the end, FIFA is fair only when:
-- Brasil plays against Argentina, because both teams are big
-- or when Barca plays against Real, or Messi against Ronaldo
= but whenever there is a battle of a giant against an average/smaller team, if needed, you can expect a push from FIFA, UEFA and referees.

Football is a sport, but a huge amounts of money from sponsors and viewers are forcing directors of Fifa and Uefa to slightly "manually" adjust results, whenever it is needed, and possible.

 

[Alik]

The same system works with Ballon'd'or.
Fifa's goal is again to have fancy and famous players from top teams, and from bigger nations.
That will bring more buzz about football in general, more sponsors, more viewers etc.

So, for example, a battle between Messi and Ronaldo is not rigged, because both play in Barca and Real, and it is irrelevant who will win.
The winner will be a guy who played better that year.
But, no matter how well will Suarez play, he will never stand a chance against Messi or Neymar, because they are from bigger countries.
Also, even if Atletico Madrid won the CL, their players wouldn't get awards.
For example, imagine if Arda was the best player last Season (which he wasn't), but there is no way that a player from Turkey and from Atletico gets an award.
That just doesn't attract sponsors and money.

So, in the end, FIFA is fair only when:
-- Brasil plays against Argentina, because both teams are big
-- or when Barca plays against Real, or Messi against Ronaldo
= but whenever there is a battle of a giant against an average/smaller team, if needed, you can expect a push from FIFA, UEFA and referees.

Football is a sport, but a huge amounts of money from sponsors and viewers are forcing directors of Fifa and Uefa to slightly "manually" adjust results, whenever it is needed, and possible.

With regards to what country the player comes from:

Portugal is not a bigger footballing country than Uruguay. It is definitely not as big as Argentina. By that logic, Ronaldo should be negatively affected.

If one day, Martin Odegaard ends up being world-class as he is being hyped to be, I don't think the fact that he is Norwegian will be counted against him. The fact that Gareth Bale is Welsh is not held against him.

With regards to the club where the player plays in:

It's not really the size of the club (Liverpool is no scrub). If Suarez kept his Liverpool form (and his nose clean), with Liverpool winning trophies he could be a ballon d'or contender. So the fact that he's Uruguayan wouldn't be a factor against him.

Besides, Eto'o played for the same club as Ronaldinho. So that should have no bearing.

If Eto'o was as good as all that then he would have at least been in the podium. The fact than he wasn't, would be more that a "slight" adjustment.

Where a player was born doesn't really hold much weight, and should not be used an excuse. Unless he/you meant that in World Cup years the player from a weak footballing country would not have the same opportunities. That is true.

Obviously, if you play for a successful club in a particular season, and in a successful national team during the World Cup the player's chances of winning are a lot stronger.

 

[RevoTeller]

Question is, would he have won over Shevchenko (2004), Ronaldinho (2005), Cannavaro (2006), Kaka (2007), Cristiano (2008), and Messi (2009)?

Considering only 2 of those players are Brazilian are you saying that Eto'o should have won the Ballon d'Or over Ronaldinho and Kaka?

To claim that he would easily have won a Balon d'Or if only he were Brazilian is baseless, considering that he has never been in the top 3 that over this time (2004-2009) the only Brazilian players to have been in the podium are Ronaldinho and Kaka.

No, Ronaldinho and Kakà deserved it when they won it in their respective years.
But think about the 2006 season: with today methods (World Cup doesn't count anymore, it seems), Cannavaro wouldn't have never won the Bd'Or; then, imagine Eto'o as a brasilian player with the same sponsors and marketing appeal as Neymar (for example), who won the Pichichi, who won the Liga and who won the Champions League with a goal and a MoM performance in the final...
Here, with today standards and with having way more marketing value (being brasilian is just an example for this), I really think Eto'o would have had an enormous shot in winning that Bd'Or.

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

As awesome as Ronnie was (he still is my favorite player and only one I enjoyed more than or as much as Leo), Eto'o was always close to him. He is really underrated.

 

[RevoTeller]

As awesome as Ronnie was (he still is my favorite player and only one I enjoyed more than or as much as Leo), Eto'o was always close to him. He is really underrated.

He surely is.
I remember that when he left us I still followed his games at Inter Milan and he was majestic: played in every position up front for them, and if I remember correctly in his last season before leaving for Anzhi set somewhat a record of goals + assists because in the last ten years or so it seems no other player playing for an italian team did make more goals and assists in a single season than him.
Also when he left, Inter Milan went completely downhill down to the ridicolous side they are today.

 

[messi2140]

Turned 34 today.

 

[pacp_96]

Happy Birthday Eto'o

 

[Darko]

Can somebody give me a gif of his celebration against United in the CL final, the tapping his arm one?
And yeah, Eto'o is underrated, one of the best strikers ever, plus he is a Barca legend who always gave everything and I will always like him and respect him no matter the controversies.

 

[RevoTeller]

Can somebody give me a gif of his celebration against United in the CL final, the tapping his arm one?

Anyway, yesterday:

[youtube]EpGY9PEawAU[/youtube]​

As they say, class is really permanent.

 

[Barcilliant]

Loved his intensity and sharpness. A true legend. He is right about being discriminated against too. Before he left us I still felt he had a couple of good seasons left.

 

[pacp_96]

Loved his intensity and sharpness. A true legend. He is right about being discriminated against too. Before he left us I still felt he had a couple of good seasons left.

Pep wanted him gone and Ibra in.

 

[raki]

 

[Blaugrana Bull]

That was classy.

 

[KyletheMuslim]

Happy Birthday Eto, All you did for our club will never be forgotten...

 

[te amo barca]

[gfy]GratefulUnrulyAcornwoodpecker[/gfy]

[gfy]AnotherSmartArawana[/gfy]

what a dummy for the second goal