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Cameroon football legend Samuel Eto’o owes nearly €1 million in taxes from his time in Spain, local authorities said on Monday.
The 40-year-old, who earlier this month was elected president of the Cameroon Football Federation, appeared on a list published by the Spanish tax office of people and companies that owe over €600 000 ($678 000).
The former striker is listed as owing €981 598.19 to the Spanish tax office.
The four-time African player of the year played for a series of Spanish clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, before retiring from football in 2019.
Contacted by AFP, a tax office spokesman said he was not authorised to give details on the player’s tax debt.
Spanish public prosecutors in 2016 accused Eto’o of conspiring to evade €3.9 million in taxes owed on income from his image rights when he was playing for FC Barcelona.
Over 7 200 names appeared on the tax office list that was published on Monday, including Twitter and Spanish TV personality Kiko Matamoros.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar topped the annual list last year, with the tax office saying at the time he owed €34.6 million from when he played for FC Barcelona from 2013-17.
Spain has cracked down on footballers for not paying their fair share in taxes in recent years, including Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. – AFP
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