Chelsea's Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o on Thursday branded manager Jose Mourinho "a fool" after the Portuguese coach called his age into question.

Mourinho made headlines in March when he suggested in a private conversation that the Cameroonian international might be older than he claims.

The coach told a Swiss businessman: "The problem with Chelsea is we lack a striker. I have one (Eto'o), but he's 32. Maybe 35. Who knows?"

Eto'o responded on the sidelines of a youth soccer tournament in Bouake.

"I am 33 years old ... and it is not because a fool called me an old man that you must believe it. And you may have noticed that the old man was better than the youngsters.

"Contrary to what he says about my age, I'm still in good shape. At 33 years I still feel good."

AFP

(China Daily 05/17/2014 page15)