Eto'O shares first experience of watching late Diego Maradona at 1990 World Cup against Cameroon at age 9

Samuel Eto’o remembered the experience of watching Diego Maradona in action for Argentina against Cameroon in a group game at the 1990 Fifa World Cup.

Maradona passed away on Wednesday at the age of 60 after suffering from cardiac arrest. 

The game saw Cameroon's Francois Omam-Biyik scored the only goal that separated the two teams in the 67th minute.

Indomitable Lions who had two players - Andre Kana-Biyik and Benjamin Massing - sent off in the second half.

Eto’o, who was nine years old at that time, recalled how hundreds of people gathered to watch the game in his neighborhood. 

According to him,  the victory he described as ‘the hope’ which motivated the younger players in Cameroon.

Cameroon topped Group B while Argentina followed in the second position. The Central African country reached the quarter-finals of the tournament where they were eliminated by England.

“We watched it with 2,000 people in our neighbourhood in front of one TV,” Eto’o was quoted by AS.

“When Diego said hello to our captain and then started juggling the ball on his shoulder, I thought we’re going to lose 10-0.

“And when we won that was so important for us, it gave so much hope to the youngsters in our country. Cameroon has beaten Argentina! That gave us hope!”