Former Inter striker Samuel Eto’o has mocked racist fans for making monkey noises at players – before demanding a photo.
The four-time Champions League winner was speaking after Romelu Lukaku was abused at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari, like he was when he played there.
Eto’o, 38, said: “Yellow, black, orange… in the end we’re all the same, and our children should know that. They shout at you like a monkey and then ask for your photo. They have a photo with a monkey.”
Former Inter striker Samuel Eto’o has mocked racist fans for making monkey noises at players – before demanding a photo.
The four-time Champions League winner was speaking after Romelu Lukaku was abused at the Sardegna Arena in Cagliari, like he was when he played there.
Eto’o, 38, said: “Yellow, black, orange… in the end we’re all the same, and our children should know that. They shout at you like a monkey and then ask for your photo. They have a photo with a monkey.”
The problem of racism in Italian football led to FIFA President Gianni Infantino calling for English-style punishments with guilty fans being banned from stadiums.
Speaking after the Atalanta–Fiorentina match was halted because of racist chanting, Infantino said: “You can’t have racism in society or in football. In Italy the situation hasn’t improved.
“Racism is combated with education, condemnation and discussion. You need to identify those responsible and throw them out of the stadiums.
“You need, as in England, the certainty of the penalty. You can’t be afraid to condemn racists, we need to combat them until they stop.”
The former Cameroon player suffered racist abuse while at Barcelona and famously almost walked off the pitch during a 2006 match against Real Zaragoza.
He talked of his sadness at the fresh wave of racism sweeping the Premier League saying: “I never experienced anything like this when I played in England.”
Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Tammy Abraham and Kurt Zouma have all been sent messages of hate for either missing penalties or scoring own goals prompting calls for them to boycott Twitter.
Eto’o, who played in the Premier League from 2013-15, said: “We all thought that in England this was eliminated so it’s sad the problem has reappeared.
“I never missed a penalty but I’m sure if I had I would never have experienced that from Chelsea or Everton fans.
“The scourge of racism is not only on social media – it also still exists in the stands. It’s got to the point where we should point the finger at football bosses for them to take responsibility.
“The owners of social media companies also need to do more – it’s crazy that the police can’t find out who is behind these anonymous Twitter accounts.”
Eto’o, who represented Cameroon in four World Cups between 1998 and 2010, was speaking as a new FIFA ambassador for the 2022 tournament, which Qatar is hosting.
He said: “It is true that I was fortunate enough to play in the first World Cup in Africa.
“Although we as a team did not progress as far as we had hoped, it was a memorable experience – not just for Cameroon or the hosts South Africa, but for the whole continent.
“I have always believed football is a game for everyone, and the World Cup should visit every region of the world.
“Therefore I was delighted to see the Middle East given the opportunity to host in 2022 – it is an opportunity I know it will make the most of.
“Qatar is a small country, but it stands out because it is so different from all others. It’s a great place to live or to visit, you feel very safe and the beaches are incredible – so as well as all the football, people will be able to enjoy a holiday as well.”
Words: Anthony Harwood