SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Cameroon's star of World Cup Italia 90 Roger Milla says he is disappointed African teams have performed poorly in South Africa

Record ID: 455714

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Cameroon's star of World Cup Italia 90 Roger Milla says he is disappointed African teams have performed poorly in South Africa
  • Date: 24th June 2010
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 23, 2010) (REUTERS) BOYS TYING SHOELACES ON THEIR SOCCER BOOTS CLOSE OF BOY TYING LACES YOUNG CHILDREN GATHERED ON PITCH CHILDREN PLAYING SOCCER FORMER CAMEROON PLAYERS ROGER MILLA (WEARING SUNGLASSES ON LEFT) AND PATRICK MBOMA (WEARING SUNGLASSES ON RIGHT) LISTENING TO GEOGRAPHY LESSON BEING TAUGHT TO CHILDREN AS PART OF 1GOAL CAMPAIGN THAT PROMOTES EDUCATION IN AFRICA CHILDREN WRITING IN THEIR BOOKS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FORMER CAMEROON STRIKER ROGER MILLA, SAYING: "We want more from African football teams, we even want them to go as far as possible. This year we had six teams and we thought at least three that could make it to the quarter final, but it was a total failure." FORMER DUTCH MIDFIELDER RONALD DE BOER LISTENING TO CHILDREN (SOUNDBITE) (French) FORMER CAMEROON STRIKER ROGER MILLA, SAYING: "It doesn't reflect on the quality of African football and African teams. Certainly it was a very bad World Cup but that doesn't mean that in 2014 we won't see an African team in the semi final. Now it is down to the African countries to prepare for the future of their football after the World Cup." DE BOER PLAYING WITH BALL CHILD HITS BALL DURING TRAINING EXERCISE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER NETHERLANDS MIDFIELDER RONALD DE BOER, SAYING: "I always said Spain is my favourite, but after the loss against the Swiss you would say maybe you go for another team. But for me it's still Spain that are the team that will go all the way. If you see the two games, I think they had 40 chances together, so they're doing something right, the only thing that is not right is putting the goals behind the goalie. But it will come and I'm sure that they can still grab the title. But there are the likes of Brazil who are very solid with great players, Argentina also playing very well, and then you have the outsiders like Holland and Germany." MBOMA PLAYING WITH CHILDREN
  • Embargoed: 9th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA10YGHP7ZGPDLQEF4FNR6OJVKC
  • Story Text: One of African soccer's biggest names, Roger Milla, voiced his disappointment at the performance of African teams at the first World Cup to be hosted on their continent.
    The former Cameroon international striker was instrumental in his country's fairytale run at the 1990 tournament when the Indomitable Lions beat Diego Maradona's Argentina in the opening match before crashing out to England in the quarter-finals, but winning over the hearts of neutrals across the world.
    Milla scored four goals in 1990 and set a record as the oldest player and scorer at the tournament when he netted against Russia in 1994 at the ripe old age of 42.
    His team's run set high hopes for African soccer with Brazil legend Pele even claiming that an African team would win in either '94 or '98. But only Senegal in 2002 have managed to equal Cameroon's achievement in 1990 and this year has been one to forget for African soccer.
    Cameroon, South Africa and Nigeria have all been eliminated, with the only credible chance of progression lying with Algeria and Ghana as Ivory Coast have an uphill battle with Portugal's superior goal difference.
    "We want more from African football teams, we even want them to go as far as possible," he said. "This year we had six teams and we thought at least three that could make it to the quarter-final, but it was a total failure," he said.
    But Milla said African soccer teams would bounce back at the next World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
    "It doesn't reflect on the quality of African football and African teams. Certainly it was a very bad World Cup but that doesn't mean that in 2014 we won't see an African team in the semi-final. Now it is down to the African countries to prepare for the future of their football after the World Cup," he added.
    Milla, who shot to global recognition with his trademark goal celebration dance at the corner flag, was attending an event for 1GOAL, a non-governmental organisation that campaigns for education to be made available to 72 million children worldwide currently without it.
    A long list of celebrities have endorsed the cause including former Cameroon striker Patrick Mboma and former Dutch midfielder Ronald De Boer.
    De Boer said he believed the Netherlands can progress far in the tournament but said he fancied the European champions Spain to lift their first World Cup title on July 11.
    "I always said Spain is my favourite, but after the loss against the Swiss you would say maybe you go for another team," he said. "But for me it's still Spain that are the team that will go all the way. If you see the two games, I think they had 40 chances together, so they're doing something right, the only thing that is not right is putting the goals behind the goalie. But it will come and I'm sure that they can still grab the title. But there are the likes of Brazil who are very solid with great players, Argentina also playing very well, and then you have the outsiders like Holland and Germany."
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