Manchester United legend Eric Cantona has candidly opened up on how Sir Alex Ferguson reacted to his sudden retirement at the age of 30 in 1997.
Ferguson snapped up Cantona from United’s fierce rivals Leeds United in 1992 for £1m, with the 57-year-old Frenchman writing his legacy into Red Devils folklore.
Cantona was an integral figure for ex-United boss Ferguson in the 1990s and provided incredible attacking flair to the Red Devils teams of the past.
During his prolific run at Old Trafford, the former United star lifted four Premier League titles and two FA Cups under Ferguson’s tenure.
Widely regarded as one of United’s best No 7s of all time, Cantona shocked the world with what many felt was an early retirement for the ex-France international.
Cantona, on the other hand, said in his statement that he “planned to retire when I was at the top” and had “reached the pinnacle of my career.”
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Cantona on Ferguson’s reaction
Cantona has pursued different ventures after his life in football, including a career as an actor and also channelled his passion into music.
The former Leeds and Marseille player even created a debut EP, ‘I’ll Make My Own Heaven,’ which dropped on 20th October ahead of embarking on his sold-out tour.
Speaking on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, the TV presenter and radio DJ asked Cantona how Ferguson reacted to his retirement from football.
“I think he knew that I will not come back anymore,” Cantona said on Virgin Radio UK.
“Maybe he was a bit disappointed, but when I take a decision, I never come back on it. Never.
“I’m very impulsive sometimes, but this kind of decision, I had to think about it before.
“I try to do things that excite me a lot, and football excited me a lot, and, at the end, it wasn’t like before. So, I tried something else.”
Ferguson loved Cantona’s influence at United
Ferguson held Cantona in high regard and the 81-year-old legendary Scotsman named the United legend as one of the four world-class players he managed.
Cantona made 185 appearances for United and scored 82 times and registered 62 assists before he hung up his football boots.
The eccentric footballer-turned-actor admitted that his reasons for retiring so early included his desire to “express” himself and he wanted to explore “other passions.”
“I always wanted to express myself,” Cantona said.
“So I started with football because it’s easier! I retired at the age of 30, maybe because I had other passions and I wanted to do something else.”
He added: “I need to express myself. If I don’t have the opportunity to express myself, I die.”
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