ISRAEL: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o attends sports memorabilia auction as part of Israel visit

Record ID: 398163

  • Title: ISRAEL: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o attends sports memorabilia auction as part of Israel visit
  • Date: 25th May 2006
  • Summary: AUDIENCE
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA1F7U4SC52AMCR8GIVPJ8FDPOZ
  • Story Text: International soccer star Samuel Eto'o stressed the importance of striving for personal excellence as he held a lecture for a Tel Aviv audience on Tuesday (May 23).
    The Cameroon and Barcelona player, on a three day trip to Israel, said: "The happiness that I can give to the people means more to me than what I am paid. I believe that when I enter a football stadium and I see the people in the crowd happy and they enjoy a fantastic afternoon and they arrive home and everything was fantastic and they tell their wives and friends that they saw a great game of football, I feel very proud of what I have achieved."
    Eto'o's visit is part of a goodwill mission that will include watching an exhibition match with Jewish and Arab players on Wednesday (May 24).
    Eto'o, on his first visit to Israel, has been hosted by the Peres Centre for Peace, founded by Nobel Peace laureate Shimon Peres, now Israeli vice-premier, in 1996 to encourage economic and grassroots cooperation between Israeli celebrities and an Israeli-Arab team. Eto'o also plans to tour Jerusalem's holy sites on Thursday (May 25).
    At Tuesday's event Peres applauded all soccer players and said the sport promoted diversity and the understanding of all cultures and races.
    "A man like Samuel Eto'o represents really a quality and peace and charm for our young generation - Arabs and Jews alike," Peres told Reuters Television.
    On Wednesday he will meet with Israeli and Palestinian children and will be present at a match which will pit local Israeli celebrities against an Israeli-Arab team. Eto'o also plans to tour Jerusalem's holy sites on Thursday (May 25).
    Eto'o scored a 76th minute goal in the Champions League final match against Arsenal on May 17 to help secure the cup for Barcelona in a 2-1 win.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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