Milla tells Egypt, Morocco to leave Africa
CAMEROON football legend Roger Milla launched a scathing attack on north African countries Egypt and Morocco for supporting moves to postpone the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which kicked off in Cameroon yesterday.
Milla, who famously owns the record for being the oldest player to score a goal in a World Cup match, was speaking on French network TV5 Monde, commenting on Fifa-driven attempts last month to postpone Afcon 2022.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino, backed by several European countries, spoke about the need to postpone the tournament, presumably because of the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.
There are more than 40 English Premier League players in action in
Cameroon and many European clubs will be without their African players for up to a month.
Fifa also faces a Club World
Cup problem. That tournament is scheduled to start on February 3.
Egyptian giants Al Ahly have several players in Egypt’s Afcon team, and they are scheduled to play in the Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates before Afcon ends in Cameroon.
In the interview, Milla took exception to north African countries such as Egypt and Morocco for supporting a call to postpone Afcon.
The two north Africa nations count among the most influential countries in the Confederation of African Football. Their support for postponement has cast doubts around the event, and Milla was angry about their stance, which showed divisions in CAF.
“The supporters of the Fifa programme are the nations of north
Africa because they always spoil things. They always cause chaos,” Milla said on TV.
“Sorry, Morocco or Egypt or whatever, I say to them here as a brother. This is not normal.
“If they are not Africans, let them leave the continent and play in Europe or Asia. Do not cause chaos on the African continent.
“They have always grown up on the African continent. We accepted them. They were successful, so today they have no reason to speak ill of other countries in Africa. This is not normal.”
CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly have already complained to both Fifa and CAF about the clash with the Club World Cup in the UAE in February.