The French genius quit football almost 20 years ago, and has become a star of the big screen since calling time on his career at Old Trafford
PROFILE
When a press conference related to Eric Cantona was called by Manchester United in May 1997 it was the common consensus that a new contract was to be announced. The Frenchman’s retirement just a few days before his 31st birthday stunned United supporters all across the world.
Even Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t want to believe the star No.7 was done with football, telling Cantona in a letter three months later: “When we re-started training, I kept waiting for you to turn up as normal but I think that was in hope not realism and I knew when we met at Mottram your time at Manchester United was over.