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Milla was tempted out of retirement to become a World Cup star at the age of 38. David Cannon/Allsport |
Milla danced his way into soccer folklore in 1990, celebrating each of his four goals in Cameroon's thrilling campaign with a "World Cup wiggle," the shimmy by the corner flag that became one of the competition's defining images.
Even without the heroics of 1990, Milla would have been remembered as one of Africa's great players. By then he was 38 and at the end of a long career in the French league. He had already won 81 caps for his country and had been African Footballer of the Year in 1976.
In 1982, he scored six goals in the qualifiers to lead Cameroon to its first World Cup in Spain, where it acquitted itself better than anyone could have hoped with draws against Peru, Poland and Italy and only missed out on a place in the second round because eventual world champion Italy had scored one more goal.
For Cameroon's return to the World Cup stage though, Milla was tempted out of retirement. He didn't feature in the African side's opening win over Argentina but came on as a substitute to score twice against Romania.
Two more goals followed against Colombia in the second round, including the extra-time winner when Milla stole the ball away from eccentric Colombian goalkeeper Rene Higuita as he wandered around near the halfway line.
Cameroon's glorious run came to an end in the quarterfinals but not before England had been given a scare. Milla set up a goal and then earned a penalty as his side took a 2-1 lead, but Gary Lineker's two penalties sealed their elimination.
There was an epilogue to the Roger Milla story at the 1994 finals where, at the official age of 42 (ever since 1990 rumors had circulated that Milla was even older than he claimed), he scored against Russia in a 5-1 defeat, becoming the oldest man to score at a World Cup.
