Former Barcelona and Inter Milan star Samuel Eto’o is putting good use to his money in his native Cameroon after he launched his own mobile network a week ago in the country’s economic capital Douala.
Set’Mobile which derives its name from Eto’o’s initials, becomes the third mobile operator in Cameroon after Orange and MTN. According to the General Manager, Set’Mobile’s strategy will be to lower the cost of calls, while offering services such as calls, sms and internet.
With a capital base of CFA Francs 100 million ($197,000), Set’Mobile is expected to get a majority of its market share from the youth who are fans of Eto’o
Of course, this is a drop in the ocean for Eto’o who earns $29 million every season after tax! His record 5 year deal which he signed with Anzhi Makhachkala Of Russia this past summer has not only made him the highest paid footballer in the world, but one of sports highest paid earners.
Eto’o will earn $29 million every year net for the next 5 years when his contract runs out. His salary eclipses, that of La Liga duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi who earn $17.4 and $15.2 million every year.
Eto’o has also eclipsed Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant who earns $25 million every year and MLB player Alex Rodriguez who will make $32 before tax this year to become the world’s highest earning athlete.
All this has been made possible thanks to the club’s billionaire billionaire oligarch Suleyman Kerimov. Only last year, Eto’o spent $42,000 $1,300,000 in total on watches for each members of the Cameroonian national football team in a bid to make up for comments he made about Roger Milla.
He may be earning millions, but Eto’o’s character especially off the field are falling further down faster than the money he is earning. Just a few days ago, Eto’o was banned for 15 matches by the Cameroonian FA after inciting his fellow team mates to boycott a friendly against Algeria in November.
Last year he was involved in a public spat with Roger Milla after saying that Milla had never done anything for the Cameroonian national football team. I do not know whether this is arrogance or pride, but the one thing that is certain is that Eto’o cannot afford to let the money get to his head especially after winning so many fans over in Africa and worldwide.
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