Marc-Vivien Foé

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography

Marc-Vivien Foé (1 May 1975 – 26 June 2003) was a Cameroonian professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder.

Having initially played for Canon Yaoundé, Foé went on to play professionally in Ligue 1 and the Premier League with Lens, West Ham United, Lyon and Manchester City. On 26 June 2003, Foé died suddenly during an international match for Cameroon, an event which shocked the football community worldwide.[1] The death was later ruled to be due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. He was capped 62 times by his nation and had scored 8 goals.

He was posthumously decorated with the Commander of the National Order of Valour and had his shirt numbers 23 and 17 retired by Manchester City and Lens, respectively.

Club career

Foé was born on 1 May 1975 in Yaoundé. He started as a junior with Elite Two side Union de Garoua.[2] Moving to Canon Yaoundé, one of the biggest clubs in Cameroon, he won the Cameroonian Cup in 1993.[3]

After turning down Auxerre for a trainee position, he signed for another French club, RC Lens of Ligue 1.[4] His debut on 13 August 1994 was a 2–1 win against Montpellier.[4] In five seasons at Lens, he won the 1998 French league title.

In 1998, he was targeted by Manchester United, but Lens turned down a £3 million offer for him.[5] Further negotiations between the clubs were curtailed abruptly after he broke a leg at Cameroon's pre-World Cup training camp,[6] and subsequently missed the whole of the 1998 World Cup.

Shortly after his recovery, he moved to English Premier League club West Ham United, for a club record fee of £4.2 million in January 1999.[7] He played 38 league matches for West Ham, scoring one goal against Sheffield Wednesday.[8][9] He also scored a goal in West Ham's 3–1 win against NK Osijek in the UEFA Cup.[10]

In May 2000, he moved back to France, joining Lyon on a £6 million transfer.[11] He missed much of the season after he developed symptoms of malaria.[12] After recovery, he won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2001, and the Division 1 league title a year later.[13]

Foé then returned to the English Premier League, loaned to Manchester City in the 2002–03 season for £550,000.[14] His debut on the opening day of the season was a 3–0 loss to Leeds United. Foé was a first team regular for Kevin Keegan's team, starting 38 of 41 matches. His first goal for the club came against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on 9 December 2002,[15] and he scored five more goals in the next month. His second goal in a 3–0 victory against Sunderland on 21 April 2003 was the club's final goal at their old Maine Road stadium.[16]

International career

Foé began representing Cameroon at under-20s when he was called up to the squad of 18 players for the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia, under the management of Jean Manga-Onguéné.[17] He played in all of their three group stage matches, scoring one goal in a 3–2 defeat to Colombia in their second match on 8 March 1993, as Cameroon were eventually eliminated from the competition after finishing third.[17] Foé later made his senior debut against Mexico on 22 September 1993 at the Memorial Coliseum, a match which Cameroon lost 1–0.[18][19]

The following year, he was included in the Cameroon squad for the 1994 World Cup, starting all three of their matches.[20] Team members had been in various financial and disciplinary disputes with the Cameroon Football Association,[21] and the squad was a shadow of the one which had famously reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1990.[22] Cameroon mustered just one point from three matches, and finished with an embarrassing 6–1 defeat to Russia.[23] However, Foé's consistently strong performances as a defensive midfielder (including a goal assist)[24] prompted interest from European clubs.

He was in the Cameroon squad in the 2002 World Cup. As in 1994, he played in all of Cameroon's matches. Though the team performed better than in 1994, they were again eliminated at the group stage, having beaten Saudi Arabia, drawn with Ireland and lost to Germany.[22][8]

Death

File:FoeFlowers.jpg
Tributes left at the front gates of Maine Road.

Foé was part of the Cameroon squad for the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. He played in wins against Brazil and Turkey and was rested for the match against the United States, with Cameroon having already qualified.

File:Allé Marc Vivien Foé (Lens).JPG
Marc-Vivien Foé streetway, between Louvre-Lens and Bollaert stadium (Lens)

On 26 June 2003, Cameroon faced Colombia in the semi-final, held at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon, France. In the 72nd minute of the match Foé collapsed in the centre circle[25] with no other players near him.[26] After attempts to resuscitate him on the pitch, he was stretchered off the field, where he received mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and oxygen. Medics spent 45 minutes attempting to restart his heart and although he was still alive upon arrival at the stadium's medical centre, he died shortly afterwards.[25] A first autopsy did not determine an exact cause of death, but a second autopsy concluded that Foé's death was heart-related as it discovered evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,[27] a hereditary condition known to increase the risk of sudden death during physical exercise.

Foé's widow Marie-Louise stated that he had been ill with gastric problems and dysentery before his final match, but he was adamant to play in his adopted hometown of Lyon. Cameroon manager Winfried Schäfer wanted to substitute him minutes before his collapse, observing that the player seemed fatigued, but he signalled that he wanted to continue.[28]

Personal life

Foé was a practising Roman Catholic and donated money to charity regularly.[29] He held Cameroonian and French nationalities.[30]

Tributes

Foé's death caused a profound shock. Numerous tributes to his joyous personality and infectious humour were expressed in the media. France national team player Thierry Henry and other French players pointed to the sky in tribute to Foé after Henry had opened the scoring against Turkey in their Confederations Cup semi-final that evening.[31]

File:Foeplaque.JPG
Tribute plaque at the City of Manchester Stadium

It was suggested that the Confederations Cup and the Stade Gerland could have been renamed after him, and Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan announced that the club would no longer use the number 23 shirt Foé wore during his successful season there. At Manchester City's former ground, Maine Road, there is a small memorial to him in the stadium's memorial garden, and on the walls of the players' tunnel are plaques paid for by supporters, with their names, dubbed the Walk of Pride. The first plaque on the wall is for Marc and reads "Marc Vivien Foé – 1975–2003". His first club, Lens, gave his name to an avenue near the Stade Félix Bollaert. Foé was given a state funeral in Cameroon.[1]

Similar to Manchester City, Lens decided to withdraw the number 17 shirt that Foé wore for five years. Lyon also decided to withdraw the number 17 shirt that Foé also wore a year before during the time which he played at the Stade de Gerland with the Lyon team. People in Lyon were shocked as he had received a warm welcome on his return to the stadium. However, when fellow Cameroonian Jean II Makoun was transferred to Lyon, Makoun took up the number 17 shirt, explaining that he wore the number: "In memory of Marc, for me and for the whole Cameroon, this will be for something." Cameroon also attempted to retire Foé's number 17 shirt, but were blocked from doing so by FIFA rules.

Prior to the kick-off of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup final between the United States and Brazil, his son, then fourteen years old, gave a brief speech in memory of his father.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[32]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lens 1994–95 Division 1 15 3 15 3
1995–96 19 2 19 2
1996–97 28 2 28 2
1997–98 18 2 0 0 18 2
1998–99 5 2 1 0 6 2
Total 85 11 1 0 86 11
West Ham United 1998–99 Premier League 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
1999–2000 25 1 1 0 3 0 3 1 32 2
Total 38 1 1 0 3 0 3 1 45 2
Lyon 2000–01 Division 1 25 1 3 0 3 0 8 1 39 2
2001–02 18 2 0 0 0 0 8 0 26 2
Total 43 3 3 0 3 0 16 1 65 4
Manchester City (loan) 2002–03 Premier League 35 9 1 0 2 0 0 0 38 9
Career total 201 24 5 0 8 0 20 2 234 26

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[33]
National team Year Apps Goals
Cameroon 1993 2 0
1994 6 0
1995 2 1
1996 4 0
1997 6 0
1998 5 0
1999 2 0
2000 8 3
2001 9 2
2002 14 2
2003 4 0
Total 62 8

International goals

Cameroon score listed first, score column indicates score after each Foé goal.[33]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 24 December 1995 Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon 10 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Liberia flag alias = Flag of Liberia.svg flag alias-23px = Flag of Liberia 23px.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}}||1–0||1–0||Friendly

2 22 January 2000 Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana 28 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Ghana flag alias = Flag of Ghana.svg flag alias-1964 = Ghana flag 1964.svg flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Ghana.svg flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of Ghana.svg flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}}||1–0||1–1||rowspan=2|2000 African Cup of Nations

3 6 February 2000 31 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Algeria flag alias = Flag of Algeria.svg flag alias-1830 = Flag of France (1794-1815).svg flag alias-1958 = Flag of Algeria (1958-1962).svg flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Algeria.svg link alias-naval = Algerian National Navy link alias-air force = Algerian Air Force link alias-army = Algerian Land Forces flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Algeria.svg link alias-navy = Algerian National Navy link alias-military = Algerian People's National Army size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}}||2–0||2–1

4 19 April 2000 Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon 34 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Somalia flag alias-1954 = Flag of Somalia (sky blue).svg flag alias = Flag of Somalia.svg link alias-naval = Somali Navy link alias-military = Somali Armed Forces flag alias-army = Somali Army Flag.svg link alias-army = Somali National Army flag alias-air force = Flag of the Somali Air Force.png link alias-air force = Somali Air Force link alias-navy = Somali Navy size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}}||2–0||3–0||rowspan=3|2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

5 1 July 2001 42 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Togo flag alias = Flag of Togo (3-2).svg flag alias-1957 = Flag of Togo (1957-1958).svg flag alias-1958 = Flag of Togo (1958-1960).svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}}||2–0||2–0

6 14 July 2001 Independence Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia 43 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Zambia flag alias = Flag of Zambia.svg flag alias-1964 = Flag of Zambia (1964–1996).svg flag alias-1996 = Flag of Zambia (Pantone).svg flag alias-2000 = Flag of Zambia (WFB 2000).jpg flag alias-2004 = Flag of Zambia (WFB 2004).gif flag alias-air force=Air Force Ensign of Zambia.svg link alias-air force=Zambian Air Force link alias-army = Zambian Army size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}}||1–0||2–2

7 7 January 2002 Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso 45 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Burkina Faso flag alias = Flag of Burkina Faso.svg link alias-military = Burkina Faso Armed Forces size = name = altlink = national football team

}}||1–0||3–1||Friendly

8 7 February 2002 Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali 51 {{ Template:Yesno alias = Mali flag alias = Flag of Mali.svg flag alias-1959 = Flag of Mali (1959-1961).svg link alias-army = Malian Army link alias-air force = Malian Air Force size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}}||3–0||3–0||2002 African Cup of Nations

Honours

Player

Canon Yaoundé
Lens
West Ham United
Lyon

Cameroon

Individual

See also

References

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  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Glanville, The Story of the World Cup, p 344.
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Single source here, if player is inactive. If player has not retired, move source next to "Updated" template.
  33. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Sister project

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