Fans slam ‘African uncle’ Samuel Eto’o for making up stories about Inter hat-trick

Cameroon and Barcelona icon Samuel Eto’o has faced backlash from football fans after allegedly fabricating a story about scoring a hat-trick for Inter Milan and leaving at halftime.

According to Eto’o, he once told then-manager Leonardo that he needed to leave for a party in Paris and promised to score three goals before being substituted at halftime.

The former Cameroon international claimed that he fulfilled his promise to score the hat-trick in the unspecified match and earned a half-time substitution that allowed him to attend his party in Paris.

While the tale sounds like an iconic moment, fans were quick to point out that Eto’o never scored a hat-trick under Leonardo, leading to accusations that the story was completely made up.

Football enthusiasts were quick to note the similarities between Eto’o’s story and a famous, albeit fabricated, tale by Brazilian legend Romario.

In Romario’s version, he allegedly convinced Barcelona coach Johan Cruyff to let him fly back to Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval, promising to score a hat-trick and leave at halftime, but much like Eto’o’s story, the Brazilian legend’s account was later revealed to be untrue.

Fans have accused Eto’o of recycling Romario’s fabricated story for his own career, which has sparked a wave of criticism and mockery on social media.

Many questioned why Eto’o, who boasts an illustrious career with numerous genuine accomplishments, would feel the need to spin wild yarn.

The reaction from fans has been harsh, with some suggesting that Eto’o’s tendency to embellish stories reflects poorly on his character, claiming that the Cameroonian’s strained relationships with Pep Guardiola during his time at Barcelona and his controversial leadership of the Cameroon Football Federation, were a result of his shady character.