Fabrice we’re all with you

Support pouring in for the severely ill Congolese-Briton footballer, Fabrice Muamba who collapsed on the field on Saturday, March 18 has been incredible. Seeing fans in the stands and footballers on the field at White Hart Lane tearing in fear of the worst for the 23yr old English U21 player was moving indeed.

Fabrice Muamba

Real Madrid even donned special jerseys – they had messages of support inscribed on their playing jerseys when they played a league match less than 24 hours after Patrice collapsed in the match between his club, Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspurs.

The support of footballers of African descent in the English premier league has been impressive too. Along with his mother and sister, Spur’s Jermaine Defoe who wept on the field after Fabrice was among the first players to visit him at the hospital.

After seeing the player on Monday night, Michael Essien, Chelsea’s Ghanaian midfielder told the press Fabrice spoke to him in both English and French, confirming earlier reports that the ailing footballer was making a slow but steady recovery.

Friends in Kinshasa, Congo DR where Fabrice was raised until age 10, say the atmosphere in the country is tinge with sorrow and anxiety. The mood was a lot worse on Sunday in Kinshasa, I am told.

Visiting Fabrice: Shaun Wright-Philips & Ashley Cole

That all the footballers who visited the player wore sombre faces is clear but I was intriguing seeing both Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Philips (they went to the hospital together) in tops with motif of two of the best known black entertainers – Mohammed Ali (Cassius Clay) and Bob Marley. Chelsea’s Ashley Cole wore a motif of the boxing legend Ali) while QPR (and former Chelsea team mate) Shaun Wright-Philips in a hoody with the image of the reggae legend Bob Marley. Not so sure what that suggests. Fabrice is a big fun of both Ali and Bob Marley? May be.

Crucially, I hope the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and national football authorities in the various African countries are thinking up how to avoid a similar incident in the future.

Already a number of African footballers from Nigeria and Cameroon have collapsed and died while playing competitive football in the last few years. In 2003, Cameroon and Manchester City footballer Marc-Vivien Foe, 28, died after collapsing on the pitch during an international match.

Get well soon, Fabrice!