Prior to 1990 African football was something of a joke, African nations really had not achieved anything of note and they were generally punted out of the World Cup pretty quickly and quietly. 1990 changed this in many respects as Cameroon beat Argentina in the World Cup opener in Milan, stunning the World Cup holders and most of the remainder of the football world with a 1-0 shock win.
Cameroon were a curious mix of amazing athleticism, speed, power and psychotic physicality. As an attacking force they were fast, fluid and had the perfect striker in Roger Milla up front. Defensively they were naive, undisciplined and cynical. They ran all the way to the quarter finals of the World Cup … defeating Argentina, and talented Romania in the group stages before overcoming Columbia in the ’round of sixteen’ before finally bowing out to England in the Quarter finals, somewhat unluckily.
The 1990 World Cup was a cynical old affair with lots of diving, low scoring games, and really negative football and Cameroon were there Cinderella outfit. They provided moments of euphoria for millions of viewers. I personally will never forgot the unbridled joy they displayed when they scored, and Roger Milla dispossessing Colombian Goal Keeper Rene Heguita half way up the field and almost laughing as he slotted the ball into the empty net was just one of those moments that people still talk about today.
They eventually met England, and a ‘Witch Doctor’ that had predicted all of the Cameroon wins to date threw a few bones on the floor on the BBC and declared that Cameroon would beat England 2-1. When Cameroon came from behind to take a 2-1 lead I almost crapped myself – they were brilliant that night, and England only scraped through after winning a couple of penalty kicks to finish the game 3-2. As much as England fans like to rant about penalty shoot out defeats, in 1990 they were more than a little lucky to make it that far.
Super sub Roger Milla, at 38 years old scored four goals in the World Cup.
For your viewing pleasure:
First half highlights of Cameroon’s win over Argentina:
Second half highlights of Cameroon’s win over Argentina:
Highlights of Cameroon’s win over Romania:
Highlights of Cameroon’s win over Columbia:
Highlights of a truly great game as England squirmed into the Semi-Finals defeating Cameroon by the skin of their teeth:
So was the score wrong on the overlay for the entire first half after England scored? It looks like I would expect later on after Cameroon scores the second. Thanks for these clips by the way – I remember being aware of the 90 World Cup in Italy, but I was still too young to recall specifics.
Comment by szazzy — May 24, 2010 @ 10:29 am
I may just have them mixed up …
Comment by James Starritt — May 25, 2010 @ 9:08 am
IMHO Roger Milla is the most talented player ever. Just awesome every time he touched the ball even when over 40.
Look at the leg muscles on him , pitty he never had the training and development players in Europe/today get.
When his club in france backed him he was second to none scoring almost every game.
Comment by Ben — June 2, 2010 @ 9:51 pm