FC Barcelona legend Samuel Eto'o, one of Africa's greatest players ever, recently questioned Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane's snub for The Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year award.
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The retired Cameroon international was a guest at the FIFA awards gala on Monday, and presented the prize for The Best Women's Goalkeeper to Sari van Veenendaal.
Ahead of the illustrious ceremony, Eto'o was asked who, between Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk, he thinks should win the Men's Player of the Year accolade. However, his answer was clear as he favoured none of the three finalists.
"The best ones for me are Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, but they are not here," he said, before walking away from the interview on the green carpet.
His comments came two weeks after he claimed that neither Salah nor Mane will win the prestigious Ballon d'Or – the famous Golden Ball – which will be handed out by France Football in December.
"We are only good to denigrate our own brothers. We are not respected," he told RFI.
"It's a fact. I hope I'm wrong, but the next Ballon d'Or (winner) will be neither Mane nor Salah.
"There is no explanation that Mane, Salah or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the top three scorers of the Premier League last season, may not even be among the top five.
"Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both very strong, but this season who won the Champions League? It's Mane and Salah."
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Eto'o himself received some high praise recently, with his former coach Jose Mourinho insisting the legendary striker should have won a Ballon d'Or in his playing days.
Do you agree with Eto'o that Salah or Mane should have won FIFA's The Best Men's Player award for 2019? Have your say in the comments section below.
