The great Anzhi Makhachkala dream may have died with the news in August that billionaire owner Suleyman Kerimov was to refocus the club’s efforts on a more reserved, locally-based project. But Samuel Eto’o’s two years with the Russian outfit were enough to make him one of the richest sportsmen outside of North America.
In 2011, the Cameroon striker was the marquee signing of the Kerimov era, collecting a world-record salary for a footballer of €20 million (£16.5m) a year, including bonuses, to add to what was already a healthy fortune thanks to spells with Barcelona and Inter.
Indeed, Eto’o had hit the headlines in 2009 when he bought each of his national team-mates a €33,000 (£29,000) watch with a personal inscription after they qualified for the World Cup.
The short but highly lucractive spell with Anzhi – which included the practice of flying to Russia from Paris for training and then on to Dagestan for home games – has firmly established him at the top end of the Goal Rich List.
After the Russian Premier League side said they would only offer wages of €7m a year beyond 2014, he was allowed to join Chelsea, agreeing a one-year contract worth around €5m (£4.1m). It has still been a stunning year, however, when earnings from the first six months of 2013 are taken into account.
Eto'o retains a €5m a year sponsorship package with PUMA, as well as deals with Ford and fashion label John Richmond.
Among his investments, the 32-year-old boasts a collection of stunning cars worth a total of around €5m, including a Bugatti Veyron, two Aston Martins and a Maybach Xenatec.
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