On June 20, Cameroonian icon, Samuel Eto’o, appeared in a Spanish court and pleaded guilty to a £3.2 million tax fraud.
Throughout his remarkable career, the natural-born goalscorer has solidified himself as one of the greatest strikers in African history. In his prime, he possessed an incredible array of skills and moved like a gazelle, which left defenders in the dust more often than not.
Although he picked up a Champions League title for Real Madrid, Eto’o rose to prominence at the Nou Camp. The forward dazzled spectators with his flashy performances, en route to a whopping 130 goals in 199 appearances. His showings helped the club pick up a further two European cups and three La Ligas.
However, Eto’o left Spain in 2009 and proved he had the minerals to make it in two more of the world’s toughest leagues. His spells at Inter Milan and Chelsea only enhanced his legacy. During his time in Serie A, he bagged a domestic league title and another Champions League. And while he didn’t win anything at Stamford Bridge, he still found the back of the net on 12 occasions.
But despite his impressive footballing prowess, this time, he’s hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Read: Samuel Eto’o blasts Cameroon squad in dressing room after they beat Burundi
Samuel Eto’o pleads guilty to tax fraud
The 41-year-old pleaded guilty to a 3.2 million tax fraud in relation to his image rights while playing for ‘Blaugrana’. This has resulted in him receiving a 22-month suspended sentence.
The court case, which took place at Ciudad de la Justicia in Barcelona, saw prosecutors accuse the ex-player of not declaring his income from the transfer of image rights between 2006-2009.
They revealed that he had transferred his image rights to a company in Hungary that declared his earnings in the European country. The nation currently has one of the lowest tax rates in Europe.
Eto’o admitted guilt but stressed that he was young and naive at the time of the offence.
As per The BBC, he said: “I admit the facts, and I am going to pay what I’m due, but let it be known that I was a just a child then and that I always did what my former agent Jose Maria Mesalles, who I considered like a father, asked me to do at that time.”
Featured Image Credit: Getty
