Eto’o on track for record 4th CAF crown!

Written by Steven Ojong, Standard Tribune

Friday, 25 December 2009 13:14

Cameroon and inter-Milan wonderboy, Samuel Eto’o is favourite for the 2009 CAF best footballer award, football bookmakers have predicted.

Eto’o’s name featured prominent in the list of five nominees made public last week by CAF.

The other contenders are Didier Drogba (Cote D’Ivoire and Chelsea), Micheal Essien (Ghana and Chelsea), Yaya Toure (Cote D’Ivoire and Barcelona) and Seydou Keita (Mali and Barcelona).

Of the five contenders, Eto’o, his former Barca team mate, Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba appear to be the most serious challengers for the award.

But football pundits say Eto’o will edge his rivals when the vote is done in Dakar, Senegal on 25 February 2010.

They evoke his superlative performance with his former club side Barca last season and his quintessential role in Cameroon’s double campaign for the South Africa World Cup and the CAN in 2010.

Eto’o scored 30 league goals with Barca last season, helping the team to lift the championship title.

He also netted six goals in their champions league campaign; scoring a magnificent goal at the finals that lifted Barca to their 3rd ever champions league win.

Hia last season trophies also include the Spanish King’s Cup with the club.

With the Indomitable Lions, Eto’o was the pivot and marksman in their joint CAN/World Cup Campaign.

Celebrating his new role as captain of the Lions, Eto’o scored a total nine goals during the campaign; ending as second lead scorer in the continent’s World Cup qualifying campaign.

Already, the BBC and Super Sports, both reputed and highly authoritative news channels, have declared Eto’o as favourite for the award.

If voted it would be Eto’o’s 4th CAF award, which is an unprecedented record since the inception of the award decades ago