'There is nothing more stupid than a footballer who pretends to be more indispensable to the game than the ball'
		'The seagulls follow the trailer. It's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.'

Eric Cantona may not have played enough internationals to warrant the "Legend" status but he is arguably one of the most charismatic and controversial character in football. Eric Cantona was born in Paris on 24 May 1966, the year England won the World Cup. He was a product of the famed Auxerre youth football programme.

 

This violatile French genius has played for many French clubs including giants like Marseille and Montpellier before moving across the channel to play in England. It was there in England where he had probably the most successful term of his career.

In his first season in England, he helped Leeds United to win the League. This erratic Frenchman will always be remembered for his niffy footwork and splendid goals. Man Utd fans will probably hail him as the saviour of the club. Arriving at Old Trafford after the successful season at Leeds, King Eric as he is more affectionately known inspired Man Utd to their first league title in 26 years. He did not stop at that. 3 more league titles and 2 more FA Cup wins would follow. In his short 6 years in English football, he won 5 league titles & 2 FA Cups, a feat which would be the envy of any footballer in England.

What made Cantona so loved and hated in England are not only his fabulous skills but also his notorious outbursts. The most infamous one would be the kung-fu style lunge at a Cystal Palace fan after being sent off in a match against Palace. Beside that nasty incident, his career was also marred by other terrible tackles on the field and fights with opposing team players.

Despite his talents, it was quite amazing why he was not selected for the national side. The French coach apparently decided he need no hot-tempered player in his team. Youri Djorkaeff, his replacement in the national team played very well, making his return to the national side even more difficult.

Cantona abruptly announced his retirement from football much to the astonishment of his legion of fans. Cantona knew that he was unlikely to play for the national team ever again. His last season at Man Utd had hardly been inspiring. That I think prompted him to retire prematurely. Nevertheless, we will always remember Eric Cantona as the flamboyant footballer who had fascinated the world with his pin-point passes and deadly goals.

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