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Milla will always be a legend
Roger Milla is quite simply a living legend of Cameroon football. Twice African Footballer of the Year (1976, 1990) he is best remembered for being part of the Cameroon squad which reached the quarter finals in Italia 90. As a player, Roger Milla embodied all that is great about Cameroon: an indomitable spirit, feline agility in front of goal, and an aesthetic only found in African players. Milla is both the oldest player to have played in the World Cup finals, and the oldest to score, at age forty-two, against Russia in USA 1994. But it was in 1990, with his super-sub cameo's, that Milla - who formed a deadly partnership François Oman-Biyik - was immortalised. Four goals in Italy 90, all scored as a sub (against Romania and Colombia), were crucial in bringing Cameroon to the quarter finals. A feat which brought world-wide attention on Africa's emerging talents, thus sowing the seeds of, and setting in motion, the development of Cameroon and African football. Milla was already 38 when he became a household name for his performances in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He scored four goals in the tournament as Cameroon became the first African side to qualify for the quarter-finals, greeting each one with his trademark Makossa shuffle by the corner-flag. Yet Milla had already enjoyed almost two decades at the top in football. Born in Yaounde, Milla began his career with Eclair Douala, moved on to the Leopards of Douala before returning to the capital and Tonnerre. He won the title of African Footballer of the Year in 1976 as Tonnerre reached the final of the African Cup Winners Cup, only to lose to IICC Shooting Stars of Nigeria. The following year Milla moved to French side Valenciennes. A transfer to Monaco followed as did a French Cup, before Milla moved on to Bastia where he stayed for four years, picking up the French Cup again in 1981. His first taste of World Cup action was in Spain in 1982. Cameroon were extremely unfortunate not to qualify from the opening phase, going out on goals scored after drawing all three of their games. In 1984 with Milla in top form, the now Indomitable Lions won the African Nations Cup, a feat they were to repeat in 1988 which made up for missing the 1986 World Cup finals. By 1988 he'd spent a year with Saint-Etienne having left Bastia. They won the second division title, but Milla quickly moved on to Montpellier, where he again won promotion, finishing as the club's top-scorer that season. By now Milla had retired from international football with 81 caps, but he was tempted back for the World Cup in Italy. He did not start a single game in that tournament, and yet by the end of it, he was known across the world. In the second group game, Milla scored twice as Romania were beaten 2-1 and he introduced the world to that celebratory wiggle. It was the same story in the second round, as Milla came off the bench against Columbia to grab two extra time goals. In the quarter finals hew was the inspiration as Cameroon came from behind to take the lead against England, only lose 3-2. The Indomitable Lions might have gone out, but their success was instrumental in paving the way for Fifa to increase the African representation from three countries to five for the 1998 World Cup. No wonder Milla was voted African Player of the Century.
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Senegal
ready for france Simply
Aghawonder Diao's
star rises again Tough
as they come Song
at the ready On
the left side Metsu's
secret The
Senegalese Lions The
Senegalese way The
Lion's route The
next Haile Profiles African
Cup of Nations
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