Roger Milla voted Africa's best footballer in 50 years

Cairo, Jan 15 (UNI) Cameroon's 1990 World Cup star Roger Milla has been voted as Africa's best footballer in 50 years in a poll conducted by the continent's governing body of the game.

Milla beat Egypt's star striker of 1980s Mahmoud El-Khatib, while another Egyptian, Hossam Hassan who is still playing at 40, was third in the oline poll via Confederation of African Football's (Caf) website ahead of its 50th anniversary celebrations next month.

Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o and twice African Footballer of the Year Abidi Pele of Ghana were voted fourth and fifth while former World Player of the Year George Weah of Liberia and Chelsea striker Didier Drogba received sixth and seventh highest votes.

Milla, who starred at three World Cups with the Indomitable Lions (1982, 1990 and 1994), polled a total 2246 points to El-Khatib's 2165 points.

Milla first won the African Footballer of the Year title in 1976 and regained it 14 years later, after leading the Indomitable Lions to the quarter-finals of the 1990 World Cup at the age of 38.

In 1994, he became the oldest player in World Cup history to score a goal, getting Cameroon's lone strike in a 1-6 loss to Russia.

Top 20: 1. Roger Milla (Cameroon); 2. Mahmoud al-Khatib (Egypt); 3. Hossam Hassan (Egypt); 4. Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon); 5. Abedi Pele (Ghana); 6. George Weah (Liberia); 7. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast); 8. Nwankwo Kanu (Nigeria); 9. Rabeh Madjer (Algeria); 10. Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia) UNI