This archive report was first published on 7 November 2019.
African Players Still Deserve Recognition, Says Samuel Eto'o ¶
Cameroon legend Samuel Eto'o hopes that this year will be the year another African player wins the Ballon d'Or, a feat achieved only by George Weah in 1995.
Speaking to AFP in an exclusive interview, Eto'o, 38, expressed his disappointment at the lack of recognition African players receive in the Ballon d'Or vote.
"Western media dominate our media in Africa, so they definitely have an influence. People prefer to see a Lionel Messi goal," Eto'o said.
He believes that African players are not respected and are not always properly appreciated, citing the dominance of Western media in Africa as a major factor.
"Africa needs to show how strong it is. We are lucky to have these good players, who scored more than ten goals in the Champions League -- we had the top three scorers in the English league (Mane, Salah, Aubameyang) but somehow these young guys don't have our support," Eto'o added.
There are five African players on the 30-man shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or, with the winner to be announced at a ceremony in Paris on December 2.
