Darren Byfield was in the thick of a bone-crushing First Division clash just 24 hours before heading for an appointment with Brazil's Samba stars.
Rotherham's leading scorer doubles up as a striker for Jamaica and was given special permission to play for his club a day before his country meet Brazil in Leicester.
But this grim blood and thunder all-British clash was hardly the ideal warm-up for a date with the South American maestros.
Byfield did his best to turn on the style, but either ended up in a tangle himself or felled by Millwall's uncompromising defenders.
But it was French midfielder Julian Baudet who was star of the show and who came closet to scoring, but for three super last-ditch saves.
Baudet could have given Rotherham a first minute lead when he stabbed in a shot, but Millwall keeper Tony Warner made a bizarre clearance booting it clear off the line instead of smothering the ball.
And Warner had to save again from Baudet when the Frenchman aimed a header goalwards after a Rotherham free-kick, before Millwall midfielder Tim Cahill came close to heading the Millers in front but it flew just wide of his own goal.
Rotherham had an offside flag to thank when ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan thought he had scored for Millwall but the flag was already up.
It was Whelan who did well in Millwall's best first-half spell, but an ambitious overhead kick was over the top.
Belgian international Bob Peeters came close to breaking the deadlock ten minutes before half time when he beat Chris Swailes and caught Mike Pollitt off his line with a clever lob, but Martin McIntosh cleared off the line.
Byfield dazzled with a clever run, but pulled his left-foot drive wide and Martin Butler came close when he darted in between Warner and defender Darren Ward to steal the ball only to drag his angled shot wide.
Baudet drew a great reflex save from Warner with a fierce header from Stewart Talbot's corner and then Swailes glanced a header wide and Byfield's first-time shot needed a super save from Warner at the near post.
Baudet looked to have headed Rotherham in front after 70 minutes from a corner but Paul Ifill did well to head it off the line.