Barcelona's Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o says the penalty miss that put his country out of the African Nations Cup last week will not stop him volunteering to take them in the Primera Liga.

The 25-year-old scored five goals in four games in Egypt but missed the decisive spot-kick in a dramatic 24-kick penalty shoot-out, that saw Ivory Coast qualify instead of tournament favourites Cameroon.

"Even if Ronaldinho was on the pitch, if I was feeling confident I would take a penalty," Eto'o was reported as saying yesterday.

"Other important players have missed penalties before me and others will miss in the future.

"Ronaldinho missed a penalty the other day and he is the best player in the world."

Barca's first choice penalty-taker Ronaldinho is suspended for tomorrow's top-of-the-table clash against second-placed Valencia, although the club are appealing against the decision.

Eto'o, the Primera Liga's top scorer with 18 goals, was involved in a war of words with Cameroon team-mate Pierre Wome last October after another costly penalty miss for their country.

Cameroon were drawing 1-1 in a World Cup qualifier against Egypt, a game they had to win to qualify for the finals, when they were awarded an injury-time penalty.

Defender Wome struck his spot-kick against the post which meant Cameroon failed to make it to Germany. Eto'o claimed Wome took the penalty because the Inter player had stepped up and said he was confident of scoring.

Wome responded: "I am very angry with Eto'o because what he said isn't true. We did not talk on the pitch but I took into account that he and the captain didn't feel up to it, so I went to take it.

"No one wanted to take the penalty because they knew what could have happened if they missed."