8. Roger Milla
Albert Roger Mooh Miller was born on the 20th May 1952, starting his football at Eclair de Douala from 1965 to 1970. He got his first professional football at Leopards Douala, winning back-to-back Cameroon Premiere Division titles, scoring 89 goals in 116 games. He then moved to Tonerre Yaounde, where the striker hit amazing numbers again, scoring 69 goals in 87 matches. This led to him being named the 1976 African Footballer of the Year, a year after winning the African Cup Winners’ Cup. His incredible form could not be hidden any longer and French club Valenciennes came calling in 1977, but they kept him in the reserves for two years.
His next European switch was to Monaco in 1979, but injuries prevented him from getting a foothold in the team. He tried again in Bastia, but it was another unsuccessful spell that ended his run of just 43 goals (in 156 matches) in 7 years. He still won the Coupe De France for them in 1980 and 1981 with 35 goals in 113 games. Finally in 1984 he joined Saint-Etienne, smashing 31 goals in 59 games before he hit 37 in 95 for Montpellier. A spell in Saint-Pierroise preceded a move back home to Tonnerre Yaounde, where he rediscovered his best football, hitting 89 goals in 116 matches, before he wound his career down in Indonesia for Pelita Jaya (where he scored a goal a game) and Putra Samarinda (where he hit 18 goals in 12 matches).
Roger Milla’s international debut was against Zaire in 1973, aged 21. He participated in their 1982 World Cup run, which finished with 3 draws and a first-round exit. He was part of their more victorious side in 1984 as Cameroon took the Africa Cup of Nations before retiring from international football after his second triumph in 1988. He then moved to Reunion after emotional testimonials to spell an end to football – or so, he though.. In the year 1990 however, Cameroon again qualified for the FIFA World Cup and then president Paul Mbiya called him to convince him to rejoin the national squad. He agreed, and in 1990 (age 38) went to Italy with his countrymen for football’s biggest tournament. He scored a brace against Romania there, and then 2 more in extra-time against Colombia to take Cameroon into the quarter-finals. His famous Makossa dance celebration around the corner flag was made famous there. In their quarter-final draw against the English, he turned the match by winning a penalty for Kunde and assisting Ekeke to comeback from 1-0 down to 2-1. However, England won it with 2 extra-time penalties. He eventually won the African Footballer of the Year once again. 4 years later, he came back on to score against Russia, becoming the oldest FIFA World Cup goalscorer at 42. His international career finished with a terrific 37 goals in 63 caps, and a goal celebration that lives on to this day.
