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'A chance to pay homage' Tributes to memory of Foe dominate Confed Cup finalPosted: Sunday June 29, 2003 6:05 PMSAINT-DENIS, France (AP) -- Divided by France's 1-0 win over Cameroon in the Confederations Cup final Sunday, the players from both sides united to honor the memory of Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe. On a night when soccer took a back seat, the players held hands and stood side by side before the match, and embraced and consoled one another afterward to commemorate Foe, who suddenly died after Thursday's semifinal. All fans at the Stade de France broke out into sustained chants of "Foe-Foe" after the final. As the players mounted the podium, Foe's picture took center stage, as captain Rigobert Song placed a medal on the corner of the frame. The teams did a lap of honor, with Cameroon's players leading from the front, carrying the image of their fallen teammate. The French squad followed, staying a short, but respectable distance behind despite winning the final. Players hugged, several from Cameroon making a point of congratulating Thierry Henry who scored the golden goal in the 97th minute. Before the final, the players joined together in the midfield circle for a moment of silence and the anthems were played with the players still standing shoulder to shoulder. For Cameroon forward Pius Ndiefi the emotion was too overwhelming to stop tears from flowing. In the crowd one of many banners read: "To Marco, the indomitable lion, we love you." "We are still under the shock of the tragic demise of Marc-Vivien Foe," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said. Foe's widow Marie Louise sat close to Blatter in the grandstand. All the Cameroon players wore Foe's number 17 on their warmup shirts, with the deceased midfielder's name written on the back. Several French fans put aside their loyalties and wore the green shirts of Cameroon in the stands. Others walked around with scarves with the name of both countries featuring half and half. Among both sets of supporters, many backed the decision to play the game out of respect for Foe and to enable players to honor their teammate. "It's right to play," Thomas Vanheeckoet, a France fan said. "Of course it's not the same because of what happened with Foe. It's so sad, but this is a chance to pay homage to him." Jacques Mbede, a Cameroon fan, added: "Sport can unite people, although there may have been too much pressure on the players to play this match." The tragedy of Foe's sudden death united fans and players in a feeling of warmth and compassion. France's players, who all remembered Foe for his years spent in the French league, had sent messages of support to their Cameroon counterparts. As a mark of respect, Manchester City has withdrawn the No. 23 shirt Foe wore this season. Cameroon's players took long before they committed themselves to playing Sunday's final. They were bolstered by an appeal of Foe's widow and his mother -- and further encouraged by the phonecalls of support from the French players. As a veteran midfielder within a young squad, 28-year-old Foe led from the front as Cameroon reached the Confederations Cup final. He had played in Cameroon's 1-0 upset of world cup champion Brazil and the win over world cup bronze medalist Turkey, which helped the Indomitable Lions qualify for the semifinal. Foe played at the 2002 and 1994 World Cups and won the last two African championships with Cameroon. In France, he won the league championship with Lyon and Lens. He also played for English Premier League side West Ham United. Since joining European soccer from Cameroon side Canon de Yaounde in 1994, Foe played a total of 201 league matches, scoring 24 goals. |
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