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| World Cup Legend Writes Autobiography |
| Cameroon's Roger Milla re-visits his glorious past |
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Amin George Forji (amingeorge)  |
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Published 2006-04-06 12:18 (KST) |
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Roger Milla is often credited as the inspiration behind modern African football. He is undoubtedly a major actor behind Cameroon's football success story.
The World Cup legend has now released an autobiography titled "L'epreuve de Ma Foi" ("The Test of My Faith").The first part of the book reviews his childhood, early school days, sporting ambitions and rigor of his parents. The second part of the book is concerned with the actual life of the footballer.
In the third and last part of the book, Milla carries the readers through diverse emotions including his glorious moments in the game, especially the 1990 World Cup and the sudden death of his wife, Evelyn, in 2004. The preface to the book is written by FIFA president Joseph Blatter. The present volume contains 226 pages.
 |  | |  Cover of Milla's autobiography | | | The publication will be officially launched on April 6 at the Yaounde Palais des Congres, but Milla has already began signing autographs of the book for an anxiously waiting public.
Milla played three World Cups, notably 1982, 1990 and 1994. He reached his peak at age 38 during the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, carrying his country to a colorful quarter finals. He was in magic form throughout the competition, showing exceptional but quick dribbling and great vision, thus winning him a place in the hearts of football fans the world over.
It has been said that Milla is the best substitute player in the history of the World Cup. In fact, coming in as a substitute, he scored four goals at the 1990 tournament and initiated the two other Cameroon goals against England in the quarter finals. Interestingly, prior to the 1990 tournament, Milla had retired. But on the eve of the competition, he received a phone call from the president of Cameroon who pleaded with him to come out of retirement and put on the national jersey. He accepted the plea.
Milla has also gone down in history as the player who introduced dance culture to World Cup football. After he celebrated each of his four goals by performing the famous Cameroon Makosaa dance at the corner post, celebrating goals has become standard for many worldwide.
| | Milla's Football Career | | | |
Clubs
1970-1973 Leopard Douala
1974-1977 Tonnerre Yaounde
1977-1979 Valenciennes
1979-1980 Monaco
1980-1984 Bastia
1984-1986 Saint-Etienne
1986-1989 Montpellier
Club Honors
1972 Cameroon Champion (Leopard Douala)
1973 African Champions' Cup: Semi-final (Leopard Douala)
1974 Cameroon Cup winner (Tonnerre Yaounde)
1976 African Cup Winners' Cup winner (Tonnerre Yaounde)
1976 African Golden Ball winner
1980 French Cup winner (Monaco)
1981 French Cup winner (Bastia)
1987 French Division 2 winner (Montpellier)
International Honors
1982 FIFA World Cup SpainTM; first round
1984 African Cup of Nations winner
1984 Top scorer at the African Cup of Nations (4 goals)
1984 Olympic Games; first round
1986 African Cup of Nations finalist
1986 Player of the tournament at the African Cup of Nations
1988 African Cup of Nations winner
1990 FIFA World Cup ItalyTM; quarter-finals
1994 FIFA World Cup USATM; first round / FIFA | | | | | |
Milla is the only African on FIFA's list of classic players. The Cameroon-England match that Milla dominated was also named as a FIFA classical match. He has been voted twice as the "Best African Player of the Year." He was also named in the chart of 100 world best players ever, compiled by Pele of Brazil. He was chosen along with George Weah of Liberia as the best African players of the century.
And at the age of 42, Milla played in the U.S. World Cup. During that tournament, as a substitute he scored a symbolic goal against Russia, thus breaking his own record as the oldest player to score in a World Cup tournament. After the 1994 World Cup, Milla went into music, releasing one album with his wife, but it was never a hit. He is presently a roving ambassador for Cameroon and UNAIDS.
Milla revealed that he met Alain Georges Betsi, a young Cameroonian writer, three years ago who suggested to him that he write an autobiography, adding that "history needs it." Milla said his response was, "Why not?"
The present book is the first volume of his life history and a second volume will be released at a later date, according to Milla. The book, published by Coeur d'Afrique, has two memorable pictures of Milla: him performing the Makossa dance after a goal at the 1990 World Cup and as an ambassador, walking the corridors of Cameroon presidential residence.
Commenting on his success in the game, he said that his force comes from "faith in God and myself." He added he holds three principles: courage, confidence and foresight. Speaking on state television, Milla recommended that all Cameroon prominent figures write their own autobiographies, adding that he now understands the importance of such books only after writing his.
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©2006 OhmyNews
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