Eric Cantona

In 1992, I was still a soccer fan just like the other lads.  I had supported the English soccer club Manchester United (since 1985).  That year, they were beaten to the League Championship by a Yorkshire club called Leeds United.  While I was disappointed then, the loss introduced me to an extraordinary soccer genius called Eric Cantona who had been instrumental in Leeds' success.  Eric was French, extremely articulate with both his feet and philosophy, and came with a bad boy reputation.  As I read more about him, I realized he faced a lot of trouble back in France.  He had changed 5 clubs in 6 years, often receiving suspensions and bans for clashing with referees or teammates.  Yet Eric possessed sublime skills.  He could see openings where other players could not; he could surprise opponents with a deft flick, backheel or delicate touch; he could direct precise passes and be in the right place to tap the ball into goal.  For all his faults, he had always contributed to the success of whichever team he was in: 1) the 1988 European Under-21 Championship with France, 2) 1988-1991 French League Championship with Olympique Marseille, 3) 1990 French Cup with Montpellier.  He came to England to escape his troubles and make a final attempt to ressurrect his soccer career.  Eric was a proud man and unafraid to be different.  He wore his jersey with collar up and strode about confidently, back straight and chest out.  When his first English club Sheffield Wednesday offered him a trial after he had trained for weeks with them, he walked away with dignity.  Leeds United picked him up and the rest is history.  In 1993, Eric transferred to my supported club Manchester United.  It was a dream come true for me.  He contributed greatly to United winning its first League Championship in 26 years.  He helped United win 4 League Championships, 2 FA Cups and 3 Charity Shields in total.  Even though he had bad experiences in France, Eric still gave his best playing for the French national team.  Because of him, I supported the French national soccer team for many years.  Unfortunately, he belonged to the cursed French national team of the 1990s whose luck always let them down despite so much promise.  Example: the team was the only one to win all its qualifying matches for the 1992 European Championship but had problems scoring when the Championship started.  They were knocked out in the first round.  In 1993, the team only needed a draw in its last 2 matches to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.  But incredibly, they were beaten by Israel and Bulgaria at home, and failed to qualify.  Although Eric never won the World Cup, (senior) European Championship or European Cup, he'll always be the greatest soccer player ever for me. Period.