HEROFA WE GO!

Vieira was Benik’s idol at Arsenal... but now he has legend in his FA Cup sights

And Afobe, who grew up an Arsenal fan after joining their youth system aged six, says the Crystal Palace boss gave him his favourite FA Cup memory. That came when Vieira scored the winning penalty against Manchester United to help the Gunners lift the 2005 trophy at the Millennium Stadium. Now the Lions striker – on loan from Stoke – has his former idol in his sights at The Den as Millwall bid to beat a sixth Premier League team in nine seasons. Afobe said: “I know everything about Patrick Vieira. From the age of six I was going to Highbury. He was the leader, the general. Everyone wanted to be Patrick Vieira. He was unbelievable. “When I was young it was him, Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp I looked up to. I had a poster of him on the wall – the Invincibles team. He was a good guy.

“Years later I played against some of his Manchester City Under-23 teams for Arsenal.

“But I doubt he remembers me. He was a good player and he’s showing at Palace he’s a good coach.

“I remember watching his last kick for Arsenal – the winning penalty against United – before he left for Juventus. At the time I was buzzing. But there were rumours he was leaving and I knew he was gone as soon as it went in. It was like fate that he’d score with his last kick.”

Unlike Vieira, Afobe has had almost as many clubs as cup ties in a journeyman 12-team career.

But he finally feels settled at Millwall and said: “There can’t be many 28-year-olds who have had as many clubs as me.

“I’ve been at clubs before when you know you’re not valued and you don’t want to be there. But here I feel very comfortable and I’m really enjoying it.”

Afobe has had his fair share of tragedy and triumph, battling back from two ACL injuries and the death of his two-year-old daughter Amora in 2019 to a severe infection.

He said: “Not many have gone through what I have. I’ve had serious career-threatening injuries. That can be enough to tip you into depression.

“But I do this for my family. That’s what drives me. I lost my daughter a couple of years ago but she’s still here in spirit with us.

“The tough times I’ve had, I feel like it’s time to just play with a smile on my face again.”

Afobe, who has five goals this season, was certainly smiling last term when he won the Turkish equivalent of the FA Cup with Trabzonspor.

He said: “That’s what you live for. Success like that. You feel like you’re Ronaldo or Messi. Like a local hero. That’s how I’ll feel again if we beat Palace, a Premier League team.

“I play for the big occasion. That’s when I thrive. We know how much it means to our fans. We’d love to turn them over.”