FIFA’s African King: The Life and Times of Roger Milla

If you are passionate about football and haven’t delved into its history to discover the iconic figure known as “the Old Lion,” Roger Milla, then you are missing out on one of the sport’s greatest stories. Few players in the annals of football have carved out such exceptional destinies. When discussing FIFA World Cup legends—names like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo de Lima, Diego Maradona, and Andrés Iniesta —Roger Milla undoubtedly belongs on that list. There’s something remarkably unique about this African football legend.

Roger Milla is a trailblazer whose legacy stretches far beyond the borders of Cameroon and Africa. In his prime, he not only showcased dazzling skills but also redefined what it means to be a footballer. Known for his electrifying goals and signature dance celebration, his heroics at the FIFA World Cup remain etched in the grateful hearts of football fans worldwide. His legacy is not just about his on-field achievements; it’s also about how he redefined African football on the world stage.

In this biography, we will dive deep into the full history of Roger Milla—one of football’s greatest icons. From his early life and the influences that shaped him to his emergence as the Old Lion, we’ll explore the journey of this soccer legend who left an indelible mark on the sport. His incredible achievements, particularly in the World Cup, are moments that football fans cherish, and his famous dance after scoring will forever be a part of football’s greatest memories. So, without further ado, let’s embark on Roger Milla’s remarkable journey.

Preamble:

To truly understand a man like Roger Milla, one must dive into his full life story, including his childhood, early years, and family. He was born to Germain Mooh (father) and Ruth Ngobo (mother), and his upbringing played a crucial role in shaping the legend he would become. We’ll explore more about his family background, including his children – Albert Roger, Ruth Sandy, and Raphaël Ondobo.

But Roger Milla’s life extends beyond the football field. We’ll also share details about his personal relationships, including his late wife, Evelyne Marie Béa, and his current wife, Astrid Stephanie Ondobo Milla. Additionally, this biography will cover his net worth, lifestyle, personal hobbies such as his love for dancing, and even his favourite African dishes.

We promise this story will spark your interest as we delve into the full biography of this African World Cup legend. To set the stage, here’s a visual timeline of Roger Milla’s life, from his childhood and early football career to his trophy-winning days and the unforgettable moment that secured his place in global football history. His journey speaks for itself!

Roger Milla Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, he bears the nickname “Old Lion”, and his full names are Albert Roger Miller.

The Cameroonian Soccer Legend was born on the 20th day of May 1952 to his Mother, Ruth Ngobo, and Father, Germain Mooh, in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Growing Up:

At the age of seven years and nine days, an important sporting event marked Roger Milla’s Boyhood. That day was the 29th of June 1958, when a Football Legend, Pele, stunned the World. The Brazilian Legend lifted his first World Cup on that day.

Roger Milla got to know Brazilian Pele, his first football hero, during his childhood days. In the 1950s, TV hadn’t arrived in Cameroon, so Roger could only connect himself to his hero through Radio Douala Soccer broadcasting. At that time, Pele had begun his football reign.

As a child, Roger’s love for soccer earned him the nickname “Pele”. This nickname was always reserved for the best soccer kid in the neighbourhood he grew up.

The decision to become a soccer player steered Roger from poor choices he could have made as a child.

Besides playing soccer, young Roger Milla had a swimming hobby. The Dibamba River (pictured below) was his ideal location for swimming.

Early on, Roger and his childhood friends would use this old German bridge for their diving platform, and it was so much fun.

Early Life with Soccer:

We trace the football beginnings of the Cameroonian Legend back to his youthful days in Japoma.

Roger Milla and his friends were used to playing soccer on the shores of Dibamba River in the Littoral Region. Back then, Roger played on bare feet and on dusty grounds.

Roger Milla Family Background:

Judging by Cameroon’s cost of living in the 1950s, the Soccer Legend didn’t come from a poor home.

In fact, Roger Milla’s parents were middle-class citizens. Regarding what his Dad did for a living, research has it that Germain Mooh was a Cameroonian railway worker.

On the other hand, Roger Milla’s Mum, Ruth Ngobo, was a housekeeper. Owing to the nature of his Dad’s occupation, the whole family were often forced to relocate.

Massive changes in the country’s rail system made the services of Roger Milla’s Father to be needed in Douala.

In the year 1963 (at eleven years old), Roger Milla’s family moved from Yaounde to Douala.

The relocation to the economic capital and the largest city in Cameroon (Douala) favoured Roger. Great soccer opportunities opened doors and played a role in his early career start.

Germain Mooh (his Father) and Ruth Ngobo (his Mother) are both late. Roger Milla gave insight into his parents’ death when he commissioned the construction of a school in his village, Japoma. Now, let’s tell you more about the Legend’s family members.

Roger Milla Relationship History:

To start with, the Cameroon World Cup Legend is a married man. So far in his life, Roger Milla has married two wives. The Soccer Legend did not marry a second wife because he needed two women. Rather, he became a widower after the miserable death of his first wife.

This section of Roger Milla’s Biography tells you about his two wives. These two women go by their names, Evelyne Marie Béa and Astrid Stephanie Ondobo. Sadly, Evelyne Marie Béa, the first wife, is late. Let’s tell you more about her, including what caused her death.

About Evelyne Marie Béa – Roger Milla’s First Wife:

Starting off, she was born on the 15th day of January 1965 in Cameroon. The Late Evelyne Marie Béa was born to her Mother, Marthe Béa and Father, Nkolo Fanga.

Evelyne’s birth date came at a time when Roger Milla had just enrolled with Eclair de Douala Football Academy.

Roger Milla’s first wife, before her death, believed so much in education. Late Evelyne Marie Béa had a baccalaureate and a BTS commerce, which she got respectively from Créteil and Saint-Etienne in France. At that time, she and her lovely husband (Roger) lived in France.

According to our findings, Roger Milla married his first wife (Evelyne) in the year 1984. Both lovers (Roger and Evelyne) got married on the 1st day of January 1984.

At that time, he played football with AS Saint-Étienne and was just about to win his first-ever Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

Both lovers, Evelyne and Roger, enjoyed a happy life together as seen below. Evelyne stood by her husband during his best and worst moments as a footballer. She was his pillar and one of the few persons in Milla’s life – who gave him the belief to conquer African football.

Sadly, Evelyne Marie Béa could only celebrate 20 years of her marriage with Roger. This is because she lost her life in January of 2004, the month of their 20th wedding anniversary. Now, let’s tell you about the unfortunate accident that took the life of Roger Milla’s wife.

The Death of Evelyne Marie Béa Milla:

Did you know?… Roger Milla’s wife died from a terrible traffic accident in her home country – Cameroon. Evelyne Marie Béa died 16 days after her 20th wedding anniversary, on the 17th day of January 2004. As stated earlier, she and Roger got married on 1st January 1984.

Roger Milla’s wife died in an intensive medical care unit of a French hospital after suffering from serious injuries which came from a ghastly motor accident. Evelyne’s death was a terrible event that left Roger Milla very heartbroken.

Speaking about his wife’s death, Roger Milla once said,

Every time I reflect on my football history, I simply realize I lost a wife, a friend and a very wonderful lady.

Truly, I can’t change God’s decision. Evelyne’s death upset me. But when you have many good friends around you, it definitely helps a lot.

Following her death, I was able to hold on thanks to my friends and loving children. For now, I am single.

About the Accident – what exactly caused Roger Milla’s Wife’s Death:

On that very sad day, Evelyne Marie Béa Milla and her childhood friend, Christiane Mbah, and one other were in Roger’s Cherokee car.

Their accident was caused by the failure of the driver to properly negotiate a bend. As a result, the car at top speed tumbled off the road.

Did you know?… At the time of the accident, Mrs Christiane Mba, a very close friend of Mrs Marie Evelyn Milla (Roger’s wife), was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. Sadly, she died on the spot. The driver and Roger Milla’s wife were immediately rushed to the hospital.

Just after the accident, Marie Evelyn Milla and the driver received first aid treatment. She was later transferred to the Yaounde Central Hospital, where she had a scan.

Thereafter, she got admitted into the intensive care unit of the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital.

Because of the severity of her injury, Marie Evelyn Milla was later evacuated to France for better medical care. The aircraft that came for Evelyn’s evacuation left Cameroon on Friday at 5:45 pm and arrived in Paris at 12:30 am. Roger Milla was with his dying wife, on that flight.

While they travelled to France, the doctors who accompanied Roger and his wife told him they were optimistic about Marie Evelyn’s chances of survival.

Upon reaching France, she was evacuated to Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris. Roger Milla looked with fear all over him.

Unfortunately, Marie Evelyn did not survive her multiple traumas. All hope given to Roger about her survival and recovery failed. Poor Evelyn Milla gave up the ghost in the French Capital precisely at 1:30 pm – in the afternoon of Saturday, the 17th day of January 2004.

Moments after Marie Evelyn’s Death:

Shortly after TV and radio stations’ announcement of the sad news, hundreds of Cameroon citizens – including Roger Milla’s family members flooded his home. Following his return from France after his wife’s death, he received condolences from all parts of the country.

Roger Milla’s wife’s funeral came after the 24th African Cup of Nations in Tunisia. A heavy atmosphere of sadness filled the day of her funeral. Roger Milla’s car park, located at the main entrance of his house, was too small to contain the many parked vehicles.

It was easy to understand the heavily packed funeral ceremony because Evelyne, like her husband, had many friends.

On that day, Roger Milla said he didn’t know how he was going to overcome the tragedy. Thankfully, the Old Lion found the needed courage to move on.

About Roger Milla’s Second Wife:

From that day he lost Evelyne, it took Roger Milla 3 years, six months, and four days to marry another woman. Astrid Stephanie Ondobo Milla, pictured here, is Roger Milla’s second wife. She became the person who mended the Old Lion’s heart after the death of his first wife.

As online publications put it, Roger Milla’s wedding with his second wife, Astrid Stephanie Ondobo, happened on the 20th day of July 2007. Both couples, pictured below, had their wedding in a Roman Catholic church – the Saint-Esprit chapel in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The wedding ceremony between Roger and Astrid was celebrated by the then Archbishop of Yaoundé, Tony Bakot. Following the wedding of his second wife, Roger Milla let his fans know how he was able to carry on after the death of his first wife, Evelyn. In his words,

A year after the death of my first wife, I regained the joy of living with Astrid Stéphanie.

I would like to thank all family members and friends who supported me during those difficult moments.

Madam Stéphanie (as they call her) and Roger Milla, in the year 2017, celebrated 10 years of loving each other together as husband and wife at the Saint-Esprit chapel of Yaoundé. The anniversary celebration began with a mass of thanksgiving at the popular Saint-Laurent church in Mvolyé.

About Roger Milla’s Children:

To start with, the Old Lion is the father of two boys and a girl. The eldest of Roger Milla’s three children is a son. And his second child is a daughter.

The two children were born to his late wife, Evelyn. The last child, who is much younger, is from his second wife, Astrid.

The names of Roger Milla’s children are Albert Roger, Ruth Sandy and Raphaël Ondobo.  Based on findings, Roger Milla’s son (Albert Roger) is six years older than Ruth Sandy.

Both children from his late wife are in their 30s and 40s at the time of writing this Biography.

Raphaël Ondobo – Roger Milla’s Son:

For those who don’t know him, he is the second son of Cameroon’s greatest footballer. Just like his Legendary Dad (Roger Milla), Raphaël Ondobo is also a professional footballer.

At the time this photo was taken, Roger Milla’s son played for AS Saint Genis Ferney Crozet.

Research indicates that the above-named Football Club is located in Ferney-Voltaire. This is a commune in the Ain department and in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. Roger Milla’s son, Raphaël Ondobo, is a quiet boy by nature. Raphael is someone who lives serenely and aspires to be like his super dad.

So passionate about football, Raphael Ondobo’s biggest dream is to wear the jersey of the
Indomitable Lions. We are optimistic about Roger Milla’s son playing for Cameroon’s national team. After all, we’ve seen sons of Legendary African Ballers – just like Andre Ayew (LW), Jordan Ayew and Tim Weah play for their national teams.

Roger Milla Family Origin:

For starters in the Soccer Legend’s Biography, his nationality is Cameroon. According to Cameroon Radio Television, Roger Milla’s village is Japoma.

This is a village on the shores of the Dibamba river in the Littoral Region of Douala. Here is a map of Roger Milla’s origin.

Japoma, where Roger Milla’s family come from, has attracted development over the years. As observed from the map above, his village is home to Japoma Stadium. This is a 50,000-capacity all-seater multi-purpose stadium which has an indoor Arena for other sports.

Confirmation of his Family Roots:

The former glory of the Indomitable Lions, as they call him, once laid the first sand for the construction of a school in Japoma. During the occasion which happened after the COVID-19 lockdown, Roger Milla told the world more about his family origin as well as his parents.

These were Roger Milla’s words as he contributed to the development of the Bilingual High School of Japoma.

Japoma is first and foremost my village and, as people say, a good charity begins at home. If I have to erect a building somewhere, it will first be in Japoma, my village.
This is the village that brought me to where I am today. And I still want to thank my ancestors for that. I wished my father and mother were still alive, but God called them back. However, all the others who are alive, my uncles and grandfather, must be happy.

Roger Milla’s Ethnicity:

Asides from French, the Old Lion speaks the Duala language, among other local Cameroon dialects.

Also, as observed from the map below, Roger Milla’s Ethnicity falls under the Bantu language family. Bantus and the Semi-Bantus are the largest ethnic groups in Cameroon.

Roger Milla Education:

The Old Lion began his schooling in Douala, where he spent the best part of his childhood.

While receiving his education, Roger Milla engaged in competitive soccer, especially during breaks and after school. Initially, his parents (Germain and Ruth) weren’t ok with that.

My parents wouldn’t let me play football, especially after school hours. This is because I had to help with housework.

Roger Milla once said during an exclusive interview. Sometimes after his studies, he would get home late because he played lots of football after school.

For failing to heed to their instruction, Roger Milla’s parents would serve him punishment. Even at that, football led the way.

According to our findings, Roger Milla University days were incomplete. He couldn’t finish as it was hard for him to reconcile professional footballing with the demands of schooling.

At that time, Roger Milla had gotten the mindset that a continuous football pursuit was more important.

The Cameroonian Icon believed that his success in football would pave the way (in the future) for his university education.

Career Buildup:

Roger Milla began playing football (at first for fun) during his schooling days in Douala. He also played a lot of football in his neighbourhood during the holidays.

From playing football at first for fun, it soon became a serious affair when he participated in high school soccer competitions.

The future World Cup star performed well in school competitions, and that fueled his desire to start a career in the sport.

At that time, Roger Milla did what was needed, which was to consult his parents for their approval. All he wanted was to devote more of his life to soccer. In his words,

I spoke with my parents and they would let me go play. I did very well.

everyone in Japoma village was proud of me and my whole family was more respected.

Roger Milla Football Story – From the Early Career Years:

At the age of 13, the youngster signed for Eclair de Douala, which was his first local club. At that time (1965), the senior team of this football club played in the second division.

Roger’s coach took a special likeness to him. The coach trusted his abilities and helped him to improve a lot.

Roger Milla completed his academy soccer career quite early, at the age of 15. At that age, he made his debut for Eclair de Douala, in the Cameroonian second division.

Roger Milla’s education was still ongoing at that time, with sports making him very popular at school.

Two years later, in his senior debut (1969), aged 17, Roger Milla became a household name in his school. Among school kids in the entire country, the teenager took the first position in the high jump.

From that point, everyone, even his Roger Milla family members, saw him as an extraordinary kid.

Journey to Fame:

Decked out in his adolescence with the special nickname “Pelé”, the boy with extraordinary abilities made a name for himself as he became an adult. At 18, Roger Milla won his first league title with Léopard Douala, another football club in the southwest Cameroonian city.

Roger Milla began his period of national dominance when he scored 89 goals for Léopard Douala (after 116 matches).

After winning two Cameroon Première titles, Tonnerre Yaoundé secured his services. This is a top Cameroonian club that has a good partnership with football clubs in France.

Did you know?… Roger Milla paved the way for Rigobert Song and the former FIFA World Player of the Year, the Liberian George Weah, to join Tonnerre Yaoundé Football Club.

While there, he won the African Cup Winners Cup in 1975 and the Cameroonian Cup in 1991.

As observed in the photo below, being the stars of the African Cup Winners Cup in 1975 gave Roger and his teammates exclusive right to meet Cameroon’s leader. This is Roger Milla, who was seated at the front of the Palace of the Presidency in 1975.

Shortly after winning the African Cup Winners’ Cup of 1975, it didn’t take long for Roger Milla’s talent to catch the eyes of European recruiters.

Many clubs fought for his signature, particularly those from France. In the year 1977, a new chapter opened in Roger’s life.

The Disappointment faced as he Moved Abroad:

A season after being voted 1976 African Football of the Year, Roger Milla emigrated to France. Valenciennes FC won the race to sign him in 1977. This is a club that Vincent Aboubakar, a later disciple of Roger Milla, took – on his first journey to Europe.

At that time, he signed for Valenciennes; little did Roger Milla know that early pitfalls and disappointments awaited him.

When Roger Milla arrived in Valenciennes, he was first hit by a broken promise. Roger Milla wasn’t placed on the first team, but on the club’s reserve team. On a personal note, the club gave him a tiny apartment. And on the pitch, he could only produce six goals in 28 matches.

After a disappointing two seasons with no first-team opportunity, he decided to quit the club. Roger Milla tried his luck with Monaco.

Sadly, it didn’t go down well, as he found little happiness there. Injuries began dealing with him while he played for Monaco.

Also, Roger Milla suffered low morale because of a lack of credit given to African players. In his words,

I suffered racism and was judged because of my appearance. The big clubs in France didn’t believe in me.

Roger Milla Biography – The Rise to Fame Story:

After another disappointing spell with another French club, Bastia, he finally found success with the second-division club of Saint-Étienne.

After scoring 31 goals in 59 matches, Roger Milla transferred to Montpellier. With the club, he flourished again by scoring 37 goals.

In total, Roger Milla won three titles in France. First, he won the 1979 Coupe de France while playing for Monaco.

Then, another Coupe de France with Bastia. Finally, the French Division Two title with Montpellier. Here is a photo of some of Milla’s trophies won in France.

The Beginning of the End:

Finally, Roger Milla retired from French football after scoring a total of 152 goals. Surely, this goal tally will make any Striker proud. Unknown to soccer fans, the adventures of Roger Milla (in the area of conquering the international football scene) had only just begun.

Before his international comeback, Roger Milla had earlier announced his retirement from Cameroon football for the first time in 1987. This came after Milla helped his country win the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations title – as observed here.

Did you know?… the President of Cameroon did not fancy Roger Milla’s idea of retiring. When the retired footballer was on vacation at Paradise Island, a thousand miles from the turmoil of soccer, he received a phone call. This phone call was from Cameroon’s President.

Roger Milla did not suspect for a single moment that a phone call from Paul Biya will force him to return to football service.

In fact, the Old Lion came out of international retirement to rejoin the national team. The first sign of a positive return was when he won the 1988 AFCON trophy.

Roger Milla World Cup Story of 1990:

Truth be told here, only a few people outside Cameroon had hoped to see a 38-year-old Roger Milla shine at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Roger Milla went to Italy with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, and he achieved a meteoric rise in the 1990 FIFA World Cup hosted in Italy.

In that World Cup, Roger Milla scored four goals for Cameroon. He became the author of a great journey that took Cameroon to the quarter-finals.

His football sense, broad smile and goals were almost as impressive as his dancing around the corner post after scoring a goal.

Shockingly, everyone saw Cameroon as the biggest surprise package of the FIFA World Cup of 1990. Did you know?… In Roger’s first match, his country shockingly defeated Diego Maradona‘s country – Argentina.

And in their next match, almighty Cameroon defeated Romania thanks to two great goals from Roger Milla, the 38-year-old Lion. Roger Milla’s 1990 World Cup campaign marked the arrival of the African continent on the international football scene.

The continent became a force to be reckoned with. Also to note, the works of Roger Milla paved the way for the subsequent successes of Kanu Nwankwo and Jay Jay Okacha’s Nigeria team and El Hadji Diouf’s Senegal team.

It didn’t just end there. Roger Milla’s 1990 World Cup glory forced FIFA to grant a third qualifying place for Africa. In fact, FIFA increased Africa’s World Cup participation slot from two to three. This is truly not bad for a continent that boasts of a proud old man (Roger Milla) as their best player.

Roger Milla World Cup Story of 1994:

Four years later, the Old Lion, insensitive to the weight of the previous years, came out again from his retirement. This time, he agreed to lend his talent to Cameroon for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At 42 years old, Roger Milla did the unthinkable in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Did you know?… He became the oldest footballer to ever score a goal during a FIFA World Cup match.  In fact, Roger Milla broke the record he set in 1990 against Columbia. By doing that, the Old Lion cemented his status as Africa’s Greatest Footballer in the World Cup.

The rest of Roger Milla’s Biography, as we say, is forever history. Having told you the Old Lion’s Football story, we’ll use the next section to discuss his wives and children. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

Personal Life:

Away from Football, who is Roger Milla?

This section of Roger Milla’s Biography tells you facts about personality. Starting off, he is someone who (despite his old age) still entertains his fans with his corner flag dance.

During his free time, Roger Milla’s hobbies include watching TV, playing music, and playing basketball and tennis. The Old Lion plays basketball and tennis three times a week. Also, Roger Milla loves jogging and doing exercises which involve stretching his body and abdominals.

What music does Roger Milla like?

Diving deep into his music hobby, Roger Milla loves listening to jazz, blues and zouk. The latter (zouk music) is a musical movement pioneered by the French Antillean band Kassav during the early 1980s. Milla was a big fan of zouk music during his playing days in France.

Regarding African music, he loves Makossa, Coupé-décalé, etc. Not forgetting the Mbalax music – especially the ones sung by Roger Milla’s good friend, Youssou Ndour. Aside from Youssou Ndour, Milla is a big fan of Meiway, whose music he says is very danceable.

What food does Roger Milla eat?

Starting off, the Old Lion loves not just Cameroon food but that from different countries he has visited.

For example, when Milla goes to the Ivory Coast, he eats Attiéké. Did you know?… Roger Milla’s favourite food is plantain and Ndolé – the local Cameroon dish.

Roger Milla Lifestyle:

This section of the Old Lion’s memoir tells you facts about the way he has lived his life over the years. During Roger Milla’s early life (before he met his late first wife), keeping women or girlfriends didn’t excite him. The Soccer Legend was single for years before getting married.

Roger Milla’s Car:

The Cameroon Legend loves Highlander automobiles. Roger Milla’s favourite is the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which, unfortunately, was the car his late wife had an accident in.

After losing his wife to an accident with that car, Roger Milla once thought about setting up an accident foundation.

This foundation of Milla was initially designed to help victims of car accidents in his country. Unfortunately, the project, which was inspired by his wife’s death, never saw the light of the day. Roger Milla left the idea after his friends warned that it would be difficult to manage it, considering the many accidents in the country.

Roger Milla House:

The Roving Ambassador has a home, which is in the estate below. Roger Milla’s house (one among many he has) was gifted by his country’s leader. President Biya promised houses for Roger Milla, and his 1990 World Cup squad arrived in 2020 – 30 years after the tournament.

Untold Facts:

Concluding on Roger Milla’s Biography, we’ll use this section to tell you information about the oldest goalscorer in a FIFA World Cup. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

He could have died with his wife – more facts about the accident:

Rather than joining his wife in that car, Roger Milla decided to travel in a friend’s Mercedes to Meyomessala, a town and commune in Cameroon. He could be been a victim of the accident if he had joined his own car.

Accompanied by her childhood best friend, Christiane Mbah, Evelyne, who is Roger Milla’s late wife, decided to use Roger Milla’s Cherokee car.

The driver who drove Roger Milla’s car (the Cherokee) missed a turn, but still tried to make a manoeuvre to catch up. This was how he lost control of the vehicle, which somersaulted and hit an embankment. Again, Milla had the risk of dying if he was in his Cherokee car.

Roger Milla FIFA Facts:

The Cameroon Football Legend has excellent stats in the modern-day video game. Roger Milla’s FIFA card tells a lot about his abilities during his active days. His FIFA stats resemble that of Didier Drogba and Ian Wright during their prime. Have you noticed that the only thing Roger Milla lacks is interceptions?

Roger Milla’s Occupation – if Football had not worked out:

The Soccer Legend would have sought employment in any sports field. Away from these sports jobs, Milla once said he preferred jobs in aviation, hospitality and politics. Speaking of politics, Roger Milla does not believe in using his popularity to seek political offices.

The issue with Samuel Eto’o:

Some years ago, Roger Milla wasn’t on good terms with the former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o. This video tells you everything that transpired between the two Cameroon Football Legends.

Roger Milla Religion:

The Cameroonian Football Legend is a Christian and a devoted member of a Yaoundé-based Roman Catholic church in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Research has it that Roger Milla attends Saint-Laurent Catholic church in Mvolyé, Yaoundé, Cameroon. This is the Catholic church where he celebrated his 10th-year marriage anniversary.

Roger Milla’s Relatives:

The Old Lion shares a family relationship with Nkolo Fanga and Marthe Béa. While Mrs Nkolo is Roger Milla’s father-in-law, Marthe is his mother-in-law. These people are the parents of Evelyne Marie Béa – the deceased wife of Roger Milla.

Nkolo Fanga and Marthe Béa are maternal grandparents of Albert Roger and Ruth Sandy. These are Roger Milla’s children, born to his late wife, – Evelyne.

Marthe Béa (mother of Roger’s late wife) was present during Milla’s wedding anniversary with his second wife, Astrid. Upon seeing Marthe at the occasion, Roger Milla became very emotional.

EndNote:

Nicknamed the Old Lion, Albert Roger Miller was born on the 20th day of May 1952 to his Mum, Ruth Ngobo and Dad, Germain Mooh, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. At the age of seven, Roger Milla got inspired by his hero called, Pele, after he led Brazil to the World Cup.

Because of his love for Soccer and wanting to be like his hero, he earned the childhood nickname “Pele”. The Early Football Life of Roger Milla began in Japoma, his Cameronian village. It came when Roger Milla’s family moved from Yaoundé to Douala in the year 1963.

Such family relocations came as a result of a transfer of Roger Milla’s Dad (Germain Mooh), who was a railway worker. While he worked in the transportation sector, Roger Milla’s Mum is a homemaker. Early on, Roger Milla’s parents insisted on his education instead of soccer.

At 13, Roger Milla signed for Eclair de Douala, which was his first local club. He went on to play for Léopard Douala and Tonnerre before moving abroad. While in France, Roger Milla played for Valenciennes, Monaco, Bastia, Saint-Étienne, Montpellier and Saint-Pierroise.

While in Europe, his notable achievement is winning the Coupe de France, Division 2 title, etc. For the Cameroon national team, he won two AFCON titles. Above all, Roger Milla’s heroics in the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups turned him into a global Football icon.

Regarding his personal life, Roger Milla was once married to Evelyne Marie Béa before he lost her to a car accident. Following her death, he remarried Astrid Stephanie Ondobo Milla. Roger Milla has three children. They are Albert Roger, Ruth Sandy and Raphaël Ondobo.

Appreciation Note:

Esteemed memoir readers, we thank you for taking the time to read our version of Roger Milla’s Biography. An African Football Legend who the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Frank Anguissa, etc., seek for their FIFA World Cup goal inspiration.

We care about fairness and accuracy in our quest to deliver the stories of Football Legends. Here, we tell a Classic Football Story of a Cameroonian Soccer Legend. Please let us know (via comment) if you notice anything that doesn’t look right in Roger Milla’s Bio. Also, we have related football stories that meet your reading intent. On a final note, please tell us what you think about Roger Milla and his amazing Biography Story.