Gary Lineker has responded to a bold point that Micah Richards made about Manchester United legend Eric Cantona and Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham.
Jude Bellingham was linked with Manchester United in the past and the Red Devils failed to sign the 22-year-old midfielder during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign.
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The England international left Borussia Dortmund in 2023 and sealed a blockbuster transfer to Real Madrid for an initial transfer fee worth a hefty £88.5m.
Bellingham is considered one of the best players in the world and successfully lifted both a La Liga title and a Champions League trophy with Los Blancos.
The former Borussia Dortmund ace has netted 44 times and registered 32 assists in 128 appearances for the La Liga outfit since his high-profile move to Spain.
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Alan Shearer comments on Man Utd icon Eric Cantona and Micah Richards raises his Jude Bellingham comparison
Alan Shearer crossed paths with Eric Cantona on the pitch when the prolific Manchester United legend was playing under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1990s.
Cantona was the focal point of Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary United teams of the past after the Red Devils snapped up the 59-year-old Frenchman from Leeds United.
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Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Alan Shearer waxed lyrical about the former Man Utd and France forward’s spine-tingling presence on the pitch.
“He’s everything about [sic], he just had an aura,” he said.
Micah Richards, who admitted that he was ‘too young’ to have seen Cantona in the peak of his powers, tried to compare the iconic Man Utd No 7 to Jude Bellingham.
“I would say like a Bellingham, in terms of […],” he interjected.
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Gary Lineker’s response to Micah Richards comparing Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham with Man Utd legend Eric Cantona
Gary Lineker admitted that he could see what Richards meant by comparing Cantona’s aura with the one belonging to former Man Utd target Bellingham.
However, the 65-year-old former England and Barcelona striker insisted that Cantona’s eccentric personality was much different from that of any other player in football.
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“Different kind of players, but similar aura,” he said in response to Richards.
“He’s a bit more like […] Cantona. I think Jude’s straight, but confident.
“But Eric was confident, but also slightly wacky. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that. I mean it in the nicest possible way.”
Man Utd legend Cantona shocked the world in 1997 after he made his massive – and unexpected – decision to retire from football at only the age of 30.
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