At 42 years old, Roger Milla became the oldest player to score a goal in FIFA World Cup history.

Roger Milla's record-breaking goal occurred on June 28, 1994, at the Stanford Stadium in California during a group stage match against Russia. At exactly 42 years and 39 days old, he surpassed his own record set four years earlier at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. This achievement is remarkable because the average retirement age for professional soccer players is typically between 33 and 35 years old due to the high cardiovascular and physical demands of the sport.Milla's inclusion in the squad was unusual because he had already retired from international football in 1987. However, Paul Biya, the President of Cameroon, personally called Milla to convince him to join the 'Indomitable Lions' for the 1994 campaign. Despite his age, Milla demonstrated that tactical positioning and finishing ability can compensate for a decline in raw sprinting speed. His performance remains a case study in sports science regarding the longevity of elite athletes.While Russia won the match 6-1, Milla's goal cemented his legacy as a global sporting icon. His celebration, known as the 'Makossa' dance, revolutionized how players express joy on the pitch and is often cited as the first truly famous choreographed celebration. To this day, Milla remains the oldest goalscorer in the tournament's history, with the closest recent challenger being Egypt's goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, who became the oldest player to appear in a World Cup in 2018 but did not score.