2003 FIFA Confederations Cup

2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
Coupe des Confédérations 2003
Tournament details
Host countryFrance
Dates18–29 June
Teams8 (from 6 confederations)
Venue(s)3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
Champions France (2nd title)
Runners-up Cameroon
Third place Turkey
Fourth place Colombia
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored37 (2.31 per match)
Attendance491,700 (30,731 per match)
Top scorer(s)France Thierry Henry (4 goals)
Best player(s)France Thierry Henry
Fair play award Japan
2001
2005

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. 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.

This was the last Confederations Cup that did not serve as a warm-up event to the FIFA World Cup.


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