Samuel Eto'o breaks silence after vicious World Cup attack & blames Algeria fans

Samuel Eto’o has apologised for attacking a YouTuber after Monday’s World Cup clash between Brazil and South Korea but says he is the victim of a long-running provocation campaign from Algerian supporters.

The former Cameroon striker – who is now president of his nation’s Football Association – was filmed in a confrontation with vlogger Said Mamouni outside Stadium 974 in Doha following Brazil’s 4-1 victory, appearing to knee the filmmaker in the face.

Mamouni said afterwards that the altercation started when he asked Eto’o if he had bribed referee Bakary Gassama, who had angered Algerian fans earlier this year after a string of poor officiating decisions saw Cameroon progress to the World Cup following a controversial playoff in March.

The Algerian FA even submitted an appeal and called for the match to be replayed due to ‘scandalous refereeing’ – a request that was rejected – and Eto’o has now confirmed that Monday night’s attack centred around these allegations.

While Eto’o did offer an apology for his behaviour, he says it was the culmination of months of abuse and insinuations from disgruntled fans and has urged the Algerian FA to step in.

In a statement titled ‘My since apologies’, Eto’o wrote: ‘On last 5 December, after the Brazil-South Korea match, I had a violent altercation with a person who was probably an Algerian supporter.

‘I would like to apologise for losing my temper and reacting in a way that does not match my personality. I apologise to the public for this unfortunate incident.

‘To Fennecs’ fans [Algerian fans], I wish that they find peace and manage to overcome the disappointment of a painful defeat, now behind us.’

Mamouni says he reported Eto’o’s attack to the police in Qatar and claims another member of the Cameroonian’s entourage destroyed both his camera and microphone.

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