PREMIER PAST: Top Five Players

NAME

Eric Cantona

CLUB

Manchester United 1992 - 1997

AGE

Born 24th May 1966

HOMETOWN

Marseille, France

POSITION

Striker

SQUAD NUMBER

7

OTHER CLUBS

AJ Auxerre (France)
FC Martigues (France)
Olympique Marseille (France)
Bordeaux (France)
Montpellier (France)
Olympique Nîmes (France)
Leeds United

HEIGHT

188cm

INTERNAIONAL CAPS / GOALS

43 Caps / 20 goals

HONOURS

4 Premiership titles
2 FA Cups
PFA Player of the Year (1994)
Footballer of the Year (1996)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Cantona is the most flamboyant player the Premiership has ever seen. Along with scoring three goals in FA Cup finals, he was a vital member of the Manchester United side that won five Premiership titles from 1991 - 1997. It wasn't just his goals that were important to United: the example he set to young players like David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs meant that the team has continued to dominate the league up to the present day.

Cantona scored wonderful goals and could make accurate passes everywhere on the field, but his greatest strength was his unpredictability - you never knew what he was going to do with the ball. He always stood out on the pitch, standing very upright with his chest puffed out and his collar turned up! Eric Cantona was truly a giant of the league until his sudden retirement at the age of 30 in 1997.

Since retiring from the top-flight, Cantona has gone on to become a successful actor and is currently player/manager of the French beach soccer team.