Marc Vivien Foe was a Cameroonian midfielder who played for several French and English clubs during his footballing career. He was born on 1 May 1975 in Yaounde and started amateur football with Garoua before moving to Canon Yaounde.
He played in all three matches of the 1994 World Cup in the USA for Cameroon and though the team's (Cameroon) performance was abysmal, he was outstanding. This prompted his subsequent move from Cameroon to RC Lens of France in 1994. Foe was a star in Lens and after winning the French Ligue 1 with Lens in 1999, he moved to West Ham for a club record £4.2 million, after rejecting a £3 million transfer to giants Manchester United for fear of not playing regular football. He would play 38 league matches for West Ham before moving to Olympique Lyon for £6m the next season 2000. He missed the 1998 World Cup in France through injury but played all matches in the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, though Cameroon still went out in the first round . He left for Manchester City on loan in 2002.
Marc Vivien Foe died on June 23, 2003 during the Confederations Cup Match between Cameroon and Columbia at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon France. Foe collapsed in the circle half of the field in the 72nd minutes and after attempts to resuscitate him failed he was stretched out where he received a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and oxygen. Paramedics spent 45 minutes trying to resuscitate him and although he was still alive when he arrived the Stadium's medical centre he died shortly afterwards.
Autopsy reports showed the cause of death as Cardiomyopathy hypertrophia (Abnormally enlarged) left ventricle which cannot be traced if an extensive examination isn't carried out . This is a hereditary condition and was stimulated by intense activity which triggered a major reaction in the heart. Foe was known as a gentleman by all his friends and he funded a soccer academy for boys and girls in His home country Cameroon (Yaounde). Harry Rednapp who coached him in West Ham in 1999 had this to say about him "I don't think he ever made an enemy in his life."
Foe was later decorated with the Commander of the National Order of Valour. Lyon retired his number 17 shirt together with Lens while Manchester City retired his number 33 shirt that he had won in the club after his death .
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