THE PLAYER WHO BEAT HIS OWN RECORD
The telephone rang. It was a most unusual caller with a more unusual plea. The President of his nation was on the line. 'Please come out of retirement and join the national team again', Paul Biya, the President of Cameroun said.
The telephone rang. It was a most unusual caller with a more unusual plea. The President of his nation was on the line. 'Please come out of retirement and join the national team again', Paul Biya, the President of Cameroun said.
It was 1990 and the man was Roger Milla.
Roger made his first appearance in the national team in 1978 and played in the 1982 World Cup which held in Spain for the first time. The only goal the lethal striker scored against Peru in their first group match was disallowed.
Roger made his first appearance in the national team in 1978 and played in the 1982 World Cup which held in Spain for the first time. The only goal the lethal striker scored against Peru in their first group match was disallowed.
It was a very disappointing outing as Cameroun was bundled out after the group stage without losing or winning a single match. It was a case of no losses, no wins and three ties. He was 30 at that time.
Cameroun didn't qualify for Mexico 86.
Cameroun didn't qualify for Mexico 86.
While preparing for the World Cup in Italy in 1990, Roger's mother died while he was with the national team on a trip to Saudi Arabia. He immediately announced his retirement from international football.
According to Paul Gardner of Sports Illustrated, "He quit the team because the country's soccer federation had failed to take care of his dying mother while he was away with the team in Saudi Arabia."
It took that telephone call from the President to bring him back to the national team.
Cameroun will go on to record one of the greatest upsets in football history by defeating Argentina in the first match of their group stage- despite playing most of the game with nine men.
Cameroun will go on to record one of the greatest upsets in football history by defeating Argentina in the first match of their group stage- despite playing most of the game with nine men.
During the second group stage match against Romania, Roger came in as a substitute with only 30 minutes to go and scored a brace to pip Romania 2-0. Against Colombia,he came off the bench and scored a brace again but this time during extra time.
Two records were set with Cameroun becoming the first African country to qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament and Milla becoming the oldest man to ever score a World Cup goal at 38. The team would eventually lose to England 3-2.
Milla returned to the World Cup in USA 94 and scored a goal against Russia. At 42, he broke the previous records he set as the oldest goal scorer and oldest player at the World Cup.
At 85 years, Caleb said in Joshua 14:12, "Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day..". Caleb was still ready to break new grounds and conquer new frontiers at 85. The older he became, the better he became.
The older he became, the greater was his faith. Nothing could limit him from reaching the greatest height of personal achievements. Don't allow anything to limit you. Your best years are still ahead of you.
Bible reading- Joshua 14:6-15
Prayer- Father, help me to chart new territories for you.
(Excerpts from Champions Football Devotional written by Bayo Adeyinka & Aleele Paago written in 2014)
@threader_app unroll
Prayer- Father, help me to chart new territories for you.
(Excerpts from Champions Football Devotional written by Bayo Adeyinka & Aleele Paago written in 2014)
@threader_app unroll
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