Marc would want us to play - Milla

World Cup legend Roger Milla today paid his own heartfelt tribute to Marc-Vivien Foe and insisted that the midfielder, who died of a suspected aneurysm on duty in the Confederations Cup, would want Cameroon to contest Sunday’s final against France.

Although it has been suggested that the summer FIFA tournament should be abandoned after Foe’s tragic death, Milla told PA International that his countryman would want the Indomitable Lions to go for glory in the Stade de France final.

Foe was a key member of the Cameroon team which won Olympic gold in 2000 at Sydney and participated in last summer’s World Cup in the Far East.

He collapsed on the pitch at the Stade Gerland, the arena which was his club Lyon’s home, and was carried off on a stretcher 15 minutes from the end of the semi-final match against Colombia which Cameroon won 1-0.

Milla said: “Yes, I think we have to play on, because Marc wanted to be champion of this tournament.

“We are having a meeting with FIFA later, and (FIFA president) Sepp Blatter was sat here at breakfast with me a minute ago. I think we must play on, and FIFA say that’s good.

“It would be a fitting tribute if we were to play.

“I’m 100% sure Marc would want us to play and I know all the players want to play, even though they are so upset this morning.”

Milla has an ambassadorial role in Cameroonian football, 13 years after he put African football firmly on the world soccer map by starring at Italia 90.

He scored five goals there, as a 38-year-old, and then went on to feature in the squad for the 1994 World Cup when aged 42.

Although he never played alongside Foe, a fine hard-working midfielder who had success in Europe with Lens, West Ham, Lyon and Manchester City, Milla knew him well.

“We are heartbroken at this news,” said Milla from the team’s hotel.

“Marc was a great man and someone we all loved. He was our brother and we must play on Sunday for our brother.

“He will be so badly missed by everyone here and I still can’t accept that I’ll never see him again.

“We must come to terms with this tragedy but it will take so long.”