Eto'o: "Every goal gives you more confidence"

Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o gave an interview to Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia.





How do you look at today's economic crisis?
Those who are close to you should help you to invest with little risk. God has wanted me to have enough to feed myself and the people around me.

Are you a jealous person?
No, although they have said this about me. I have a lot of friends, I know a lot of people, but there are only few people whom I fully trust.

What does scoring mean to you?
Scoring is football. Everything we do, everything Pep is thinking about, it all has to lead to one thing: scoring. All goals are the same, they are equally important because every goal gives you more confidence. The goal against Real Madrid, the champions, almost at the end of the game. That day I scored in the 82nd minute, but I could have run a thousand times around the pitch to celebrate it.

Winning against Madrid is something special?
Winning every game is special. Of course the clasico is a special match. Every player in the world would like to play it. We should be happy for having defeated Madrid, but it shouldn't become an obsession. I just want this club to continue being important. We should have enough self-esteem to be always one of the best clubs in the world, if not the best.

What about Messi? Is he already one of the best players in the world?
It's easy: he makes the difference. He's still young, yes, and I'll keep on calling him "el Nene" (baby boy), but it's a fact that he has become a predator on the pitch. Before we knew he was good, now he's excellent.

How do you have to solve the problem of the many faults he has to deal with?
In the game against Madrid he suffered a lot, but there have been games where he had to deal with uglier faults. They all know that when el Nene touches the ball, he can deal with everybody.

You returned from Africa last week. How do people celebrate the holidays in Cameroon?
The same as here. Family dinenrs and spending time with friends. People eat a bit of everything. There's no dieting over there. Now it's really hot, around 40-50 degrees.

You once said that you lived in Europe but slept in Africa. Is that still the case?
Yes, I know a lot of people here, but I also have a lot of friends there. Africa is my home.

Can you define your continent?
Africa is happiness.

Despite all the pictures we see here about the poverty?
News is sensation. Failures or negative images sell more than happiness, because you can't say a lot about happiness, you can tell about it once and that's it. You can take much more advantage of the problems.

Despite being as popular over there, you feel more free in Africa?
I don't see myself as someone popular. I know my job attracts a lot of attention, but here or there is the same for me. I always get along with all people and I hope God gives me the strenght to never change.

In Africa, you sometimes have the feeling that life is a gamble?
The truth is that life is a gamble, there and here. The nice thing about Africa is that, despite the problems, people never lose their smile. You never know when God will call you, so you have to live with joy.

When you see how many immigrants try to come to Europe in dangerous circumstances, how do you link that with the happiness?
When you see them catch those little boats, you can see them smile. They don't think about the fact that it could be their last trip. You're seeing it from your house, on your television screen. You give yourself the permission to judge, while you don't know the whole story. Life is short and you have to keep on smiling, no matter what.

You've noticed a decline of racism in the Spanish stadiums?
Until now, yes. But I don't like all the talk about the football stadium just being a reflection of the society. Those who should make decisions, should do that. Nobody can be blamed for being white or black.

Which dreams do you have?
I have very few, but when I dream, they always come true.


This was the third and last part of this interview. You can read the previous parts here:
Eto'o: "I live to be happy"
Eto'o: "Renewal talks should wait for the summer"

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