Eto’o now 3rd wealthiest footballer after Ronaldo, Messi

For leaving Anzhi in Russia where he was the highest paid footballer in the world, Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o Fils now ranks 3rd on the Football Rich List published by Goal with a net worth of £70m.

This makes the Chelsea striker the highest placed Premier League star on the list. Eto’o reportedly accepted a £13m pay cut when he moved from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala to Chelsea in August last year, which saw his wages drop from £350,000 to £100,000 per week to link up with former manager Jose Mourinho.

Topping the list is Cristiano Ronaldo who pipped his great rival Lionel Messi to be named the world’s best footballer when he claimed the Ballon d’Or for 2013. The Real Madrid star has claimed further bragging rights over his Barcelona counterpart after being named the wealthiest footballer on the planet. Ronaldo, 29, has topped the second annual rich list published by Goal with an estimated fortune of £122m.

Barcelona striker Lionel Messi is second on the list with an estimated net worth £120.5m. The wealth index is compiled by assessing identifiable assets including salaries, length of contract, bonuses, endorsement and sponsorship deals, properties and other business interests.

Others include: Wayne Rooney (£69m), Kaka (£67.5m), Neymar (£66m), Ronaldinho, (£64m), Ibrahimovic (£57m), Buffon (£52m) while Thierry Henry has a personal fortune of (£47m)

Relatedly and knowing how difficult the beginning of the year can be for most of his fans, Indomitable Lions’ Samuel Eto’o Fils says he’s decided to “share a little of what life has offered me.”

“I would like to thank all of you for supporting and being there for me … I would like to give a hand to people who might really need it. That is why I have decided to offer 15,000 euros to two lucky winners,” Eto’o said as he launched a competition to support needy fans across the globe.

The competition launched last month was of two types. For the first, 7,500, Euros was put up for a non-profit organization that will present the best charity project. Competing organizations needed to be at least one year old and are to submit a charitable project through a private message to Eto’o.

For the second, 7,500, Euros was up for grabs by an individual who simply had to send Eto’o a private message, stating what he would do with the money if he were to be the winner.

Regarding the first competition, the Chelsea striker selected the five best charity projects and posted them on his Facebook page for voting, which ended on March 10 – Eto’o’s birthday. The most LIKED project emerged as the winner.

Last Wednesday, Eto’o who turns 33 announced the winner. “It is with great pleasure that I announce that the winning organization of the contest is: Melting Pot Development (MPD) with 2,934 likes as of March 10, 2014 (12PM GMT). Congratulations MPD, you’ve won 7,500 Euros!” Eto’o announced before adding: “I hope to have the pleasure to visit the library that will be built soon.”

MPD is a non-profit association created in 2007, based in France. It is aimed at supporting orphans in Cameroon, Gabon and Congo.

The NGO said it participated in the competition because “we have an educational project to build or renovate libraries in Douala, Libreville, Pointe-Noire. These libraries will be free of access to children from the poorest social classes in the town.”

It said the added values of this project give children access to complementary educational programmes within optimal conditions (volunteers-teachers providing time for every child, for instance) and to permit young children off school, to obtain the necessary educational level and be armed enough to face adult life.

Regarding the individual winner, Eto’o said: “I am afraid I must delay the announcement, in order to have a bit of extra time to go through the huge number of messages that were sent to me to that effect. The messages I have read so far have greatly touched me, and I wish I could help you all.”

The name of the single winner will therefore be published by Saturday, March 15, assured the Chelsea striker who scored his 300 club goal on his Birthday.