During his peak, there were few better attackers in world football than Eric Cantona. The Frenchman began his career with Auxerre in 1983, developing across his five years at the club before signing for Marseille in 1988. Cantona would spend much time away from the French giants on loan until, needing a fresh start for his career, the forward moved to England.
Initially on loan, Cantona moved to Leeds United in 1992, but the transfer was soon made permanent. Though his time in West Yorkshire was brief, Cantona made an indelible mark on Leeds’ history, helping them win the First Division title in what was the final-ever top flight season before the introduction of the Premier League.
Not even a year after making the switch to Elland Road, Cantona was on the move once more, joining Leeds’ arch-rivals Manchester United. It was with the Red Devils that Cantona would spend the final five years of his career and it was Old Trafford where Cantona would cement his status as a Premier League legend.
Making well over a century of appearances under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson, Cantona played a crucial role in Man United’s early Premier League success. The Frenchman won, along with two FA Cups, four league titles in Manchester before retiring in 1997 at a relatively young age.
Cantona was not without his controversies, such as when he infamously served a lengthy ban for lashing out at a fan during a match against Crystal Palace. As a player, however, the forward was a lethal frontman, clinical with his finishing and mesmerising to watch with the ball at his feet.
Since retiring, Cantona has shared a number of footballing opinions such as when, in speaking to The Athletic in 2022, he revealed which British clubs, he felt, had suffered from an aspect of the game’s modernisation.
‘These Stadiums Lost The Soul’
As he spoke, Cantona touched on how influential football can be and how impactful a team’s home stadium can prove to be. Home form, in particular, is vital for any club, with fans often able to turn their ground into a cauldron of noise.
Particularly in the 21st century, several clubs have moved to bigger, modernised stadiums. Tottenham Hotspur and, latest of all, Everton, are two English examples in which the new grounds have seemingly retained the noise and atmosphere of their historic homes. Others have been less fortunate, however, with Cantona noting: