Midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe wore the No17 shirt for Cameroon at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup held in France. He was only 28 when the Indomitable Lions faced Colombia in the semi-final in Lyon. In the 71st minute of that encounter, Foe collapsed to the ground with no one near him. The pitch-side paramedics did everything they could, but the footballer died because of an undetected heart condition.

His team-mates discovered the shocking news only after their 1-0 win over Colombia. The final against France was played in memory of Foe, with both sides warming up in 'Foe 17' shirts as a tribute to the midfielder. Thierry Henry’s golden goal handed the hosts victory, but instead of the traditional ritual of the captain lifting the cup aloft, both skippers, Marcel Desailly and Rigobert Song, held the trophy together.