The night at the Stade de France was thick with emotion, with Cameroon, led by Foe's lifelong friend Rigobert Song, discarding their traditional green and yellow colours for plain white with black armbands.

Marie-Louise Foe was joined by her late husband's brother at the match which Cameroon wanted to play as a poignant tribute to their fallen 'Indomitable Lion'.

The 28-year-old father of three collapsed and died in the 72nd minute of his country's semi-final against Colombia in Lyon on Thursday.

It was the express wish of his widow and the Cameroon team that the final went ahead. Many of the France side including skipper Marcel Desailly were in favour of cancelling the fixture.

In a show of solidarity the teams linked arms in a circle in the centre of the pitch holding a large photograph of Foe for the minute's silence which preceded the kick-off which was completely observed.

France also chose to wear black armbands.

When the Cameroon squad - all with their absent colleague's name and his number 17 position written on their warm-up kit - had come out to test the turf they received a huge cheer from the then half-full stadium.

Some fans too sported black t-shirts with the words "Foe forever" on the front.

One sign in the crowd said "Marco, we love you."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter, speaking at the launch of FIFA's centennial anniversary before the game, said: "We are all of us still under shock from the tragic demise of Marc-Vivien Foe.

"Tonight his widow will be here, but one player will be missing."

Blatter added: "It will be a very emotional occasion. The French team were touched by this event too, but it's good the final's going ahead. Football is life, life is football."

Cameroon supporter Ahidjo Njoya, 32, said: "Cameroon is sick, the nation's in mourning."

The evening was pared down to let the game stand on its own, all the ancillary sideshows that normally accompany a night such as this, like the closing ceremony, abandoned to take account of the unique circumstances in which it was being staged.