Eric Cantona praised the incredible “character” of one Manchester United legend and talked up the devastating impact his former teammate could have on the pitch.
The 58-year-old Frenchman made his presence felt during the 1990s after Sir Alex Ferguson brought him to Old Trafford from Leeds United in 1992 for a £1m fee.
One of Manchester United’s legendary No 7s, Eric Cantona was a larger-than-life figure at Old Trafford and left behind a long-lasting legacy at the Red Devils.
During his time under Sir Alex Ferguson, Cantona lifted four Premier League titles and two FA Cups and was an influential figure on the pitch and in the dressing room.
The French former forward made 184 appearances for the Red Devils and Cantona scored 81 times and registered 62 assists for United.
Cantona’s legendary run at Old Trafford came to an end in 1997 after he stunned the world with his sudden retirement from football at only the age of 30.
Cantona’s big compliment on Man Utd legend
Speaking to FourFourTwo magazine, Manchester United legend Eric Cantona was tasked with building the perfect starting XI and picked a stacked roster of players.
One of Cantona’s picks was none other than former United teammate Roy Keane, who is widely regarded as one of the best captains in the history of the club.
Sir Alex Ferguson signed Roy Keane from Nottingham Forest in 1993 and the no-nonsense Irishman became a linchpin midfield figure for United.
A commanding box-to-box midfielder, Keane excelled in his role on the pitch and later inherited the captain’s armband after Cantona’s abrupt retirement.
Keane famously captained United to their iconic treble win in the 1998-99 season, with the former Red Devils skipper playing a key role in the Champions League run.
Cantona dropped the biggest compliment of all time on Keane by claiming that the Irish hardman would “lead” and “inspire” his perfect XI.
“Do I need to say why? He was the best in midfield; he could play everywhere,” he said in 2006.
“He could play the holding role and be defensive, but then he could suddenly burst forward and score goals.
“He was so intelligent in how he played the game and let me tell you: it felt good to have him behind me for four seasons.
“He’d win the ball and then give it to me. And what a character! He’d lead my team and inspire them.”
Keane on Cantona and Ferguson relationship
Roy Keane’s legendary run at Old Trafford came to an end in 2005 after Ferguson ruthlessly axed him from United, which caused a deep divide in their relationship.
The legendary former United captain has previously opened up about Cantona and how Ferguson carefully managed the eccentric Frenchman.
“He was good at managing the group, Gary [Neville] mentioned Eric [Cantona] for example he would be clever with him,” he said at an OffTheBall roadshow.
“Like, for example, it’s only a daft little thing but at United, it was always smart club suits and we were very respectful when we travelled.
“Eric might turn up with a suit and a pair of trainers. If that was one of us, you would definitely be fined or be in trouble.
“Whereas for Eric he would say, ‘Ah, leave him off, he’s French.’ Then Eric would probably go and win the game on Saturday and to me that’s management.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
