BEB Weekend Sports:News!

Eto'o announces retirement

Former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.


The Cameroon forward, who made his debut in 1997, scored more than 350 goals across his club career, winning the Champions League twice with Barcelona and once with Inter.

Eto'o, also named African Player of the Year four times, posted the news on his official Instagram, saying:

"The end. Towards a new challenge. Thank you all, big love." 

After joining Real Madrid from Kadji Sports Academy in Cameroon, Eto'o was loaned to Leganes, Espanyol and Mallorca before moving to Barcelona in 2004.

Afer becoming the record holder for most La Liga appearances by an African, Eto'o moved to Inter Milan under Jose Mourinho in 2009 before the twilight of his career saw spells at Anzhi Makhachkala, Chelsea, Everton, Sampdoria, Antalyaspor and Konyaspor and finally Qatar SC.

Internationally, Eto'o was the youngest player at the 1998 World Cup after making Cameroon's squad at the age of 17.

Eto'o also went on to claim gold at the 2000 Olympics as well as two Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2000 and 2002.

Watford reappoint Flores after Gracia exit

Watford have reappointed Quique Sanchez Flores as manager after announcing the exit of Javi Gracia.
Sanchez was in charge of Watford for the 2015-16 campaign before leaving at the end of the season.

Fellow Spaniard Gracia, whose coaching team have also left, had been in charge since January 2018 - making him the first Hornets boss to last more than one full season since 2013.

The appointment of Flores was confirmed 30 minutes later.

Gracia led the club to Wembley last season, where they lost 6-0 to Manchester City in the biggest FA Cup final win in over a century, as well as 11th place in the Premier League.

But three defeats in their opening four league games saw him lose his job in an announcement made by the club during the first half of England's Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria.

Hornets chairman Scott Duxbury said:

"Javi has represented Watford with great dignity and will always be deserving of our fullest respect for his achievements."

Gracia and Sanchez have Watford's best managerial records in the Premier League - with an average of 1.18 points per game each.

Watford have become known in recent years for changing managers on a regular basis. Since Gianfranco Zola's exit in December

2013, they have had nine managers including Flores twice.

Farah wins record sixth straight Great North Run

Mo Farah has won a record sixth successive Great North Run with a personal best time.

Farah, 36, finished in 59 minutes seven seconds after racing ahead of Ethiopian Tamirat Tola in the final mile.

Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, who won the London Marathon in April, set a new half marathon world best to take the women's race in 1:04:28.

David Weir won his eighth wheelchair title, with Jade Jones-Hall making it a British double in the women's race.

Farah - a two-time Olympic champion at both 5,000m and 10,000m - said the race was good preparation for the Chicago Marathon on 13 October, with Tokyo 2020 on the horizon.

"I've really enjoyed it but the past couple of years has been in the middle of marathon preparation. It was good to test myself," he told BBC Sport after beating the record of Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who won five consecutive wheelchair titles.

"Things are looking good and I'm happy with the win. Tokyo is definitely on the cards - as an athlete you always want to represent your country.
"You just have to take it one year at a time.

Hopefully, come Tokyo time, we will be in the mix."
Behind Farah, Tola finished second in 59:13, with Dutchman Abdi Nageeye in third. Britain's Callum Hawkins, 27, was fourth.

Leclerc wins in Italy after Hamilton battle

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc just held on under intense pressure from both Mercedes drivers to win a nail-biting, incident-filled and controversial Italian Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old pushed the rules on driving conduct to hold off Lewis Hamilton through the middle of the race before Valtteri Bottas took up the challenge in the closing laps after a mistake from the world champion.

And there were fresh concerns surrounding Sebastian Vettel after yet another driving error in a long sequence dating back to the middle of last year.

Leclerc's victory was his second in a row, following his maiden win in Belgium a week ago, and Ferrari's first at their home race since Fernando Alonso triumphed in 2010.

Leclerc screamed with delight into his radio as he crossed the line, after a victory that further underlines his status as a major new force in F1.

The 1978 world champion Mario Andretti, who drove for Ferrari at the start of his career and at the end of the 1982 season, said:

"Fab win for Charles Leclerc, under pressure all the way. Future world champion for sure."

Eight days after the loss of his friend Anthoine Hubert in a Formula 2 crash in Spa, Leclerc was overcome with intense emotions after the race.

"I have never been so tired," Leclerc said, before switching to Italian and saying: "It was the hardest race" and describing the win as "a dream".

from Bola Esho's Blog