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Former Chelsea and Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho believes Cameroon legend Samuel Eto'o should've been crowned the world's best player at least once.

The 38-year-old former Barcelona and Mallorca star recently retired from football.

His glittering 22-year career included winning the Africa Cup of Nations twice and the European Champions' League three times.

Mourinho first worked with Eto'o at Inter Milan during the 2009-2010 season where the pair won a treble securing the Serie A title, the Italian Cup and the Champions League.

The pair then teamed up at Chelsea three years later for a short spell with mixed fortunes.

"It's difficult to understand how Samuel Eto'o never won the Ballon d'Or with the impressive career he had" Mourinho said in an interview with Cameroon Radio.

"Samuel played for the best teams in the best leagues in the world. He scored an incredible amount of goals and was successful in different leagues.

"He played three champions league finals, winning two with Barcelona and scoring in both finals. He also won one champions league at Inter and won many league titles.

"He was the best striker in the world for several years and I think he deserved a Ballon d'Or but these are things out of our control."

Samuel Eto'o won a record four African Player of the year awards, while his best placing in now defunct Fifa's World Player of the Year award was third in 2005.

As well as winning the Nations Cup in 2000 and 2002 he went on to become the tournament's all-time leading scorer with 18 goals.