21 years on since Marc Vivien Foe’s death on the pitch
Cameroon and the football world celebrate the life of Marc Vivien Foe, who died on June 26, 2003, while playing for his country.
The defensive midfielder collapsed during the FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final between Cameroon and Columbia in Lyon, France, and was confirmed dead about an hour later. Medical experts revealed it was heart-related.
Foe was an outstanding player who was solicited by several clubs in Europe. After starting with second division club Union of Garoua in 1991, and later to Fogape of Yaounde, he commenced his senior career at Canon of Yaounde in 1993. He won the Cameroon Cup with the club before moving to Lens in France.
The midfielder’s journey in Europe also featured remarkable stints at West Ham, Lyon, and Manchester City. When he died at the age of 28, his jersey numbers 23 and 17 were retired by Manchester City and Lens.
He had 62 caps with the national team between 1993 and 2003, scoring eight goals in the process. He was part of the team that won the 2000 and 2002 Africa Cup of Nations.
Marc Vivien Foe is remembered for his dedication to his country, which he showed in each match he played.
