The 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup football tournament was the sixth FIFA Confederations Cup, held in France in June 2003. France retained the title they had won in 2001, but the tournament was overshadowed by the death of Cameroon player Marc-Vivien Foé, who died of heart failure in his side's semi-final against Colombia. Foé's death united the France and Cameroon teams in the final match, which was played even though team players from both sides had explicitly stated that the match should not be played out of respect for Foé. France went on to win the trophy with a golden goal from Thierry Henry.
At the presentation of medals and trophies, two Cameroon players held a gigantic photo of Foé, and a runner-up medal was hung to the edge of the photo too. When French captain Marcel Desailly was presented with the Confederations Cup, he did not lift it up high, but held it in unison with Cameroon captain Rigobert Song. Foé finished third in media voting for player of the tournament and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Ball at its conclusion.
Read more about 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup: Participating Teams, Venues, Match Officials, Squads, Knockout Stage, Awards, Goalscorers
Famous quotes containing the word cup:
“Sisters define their rivalry in terms of competition for the gold cup of parental love. It is never perceived as a cup which runneth over, rather a finite vessel from which the more one sister drinks, the less is left for the others.”
—Elizabeth Fishel (20th century)