Date of birth | 24 May 1966 |
Place of birth | Paris |
Nationality | French |
Weight | 89 kg |
Height | 1.88 m |
Position | Forward |
Cantona had developed a reputation as something of a flawed genius during his career in France, often brilliant on the pitch but with a suspect temperament both on and off the field. A member of the Montpellier team that won the 1990 French Cup, he moved across the Channel during the 1991-92 campaign signing for Leeds United in February 1992. He was an immediate success at Elland Road, providing a major contribution in the run-in to their title success that season. Revered by the club's fans, it was a major surprise when he was sold to United the following November, but manager Alex Ferguson certainly didn't complain. It was at Old Trafford that Cantona finally revealed his full potential and led to him being held in almost God-like status by the supporters. He was the catalyst who convinced his colleagues that they could win everything. His influence on the club's young players is still felt today, as training and practice patterns changed radically at his behest. The enfant terrible of French football found his spiritual home at Old Trafford, where all eyes were on the charismatic striker. The crowd gave him the title 'The King' previously only owned by Denis Law or 'Le Dieu' - Cantona responded brilliantly leading United to success after unprecedented success. He hit national headlines in January 1995 after he snapped under pressure in the match against Crystal Palace, leading to a notorious confrontation with a Palace follower. A lengthy ban followed and his career in the top flight looked over. However he was eventually rehabilitated, returning to his brilliant best to assist United to two more Premiership titles. A forward player with the deft skills to unlock any defence, he was full of tricks and capable not only of setting up his colleagues but scoring with some spectacular strikes himself. Cantona retired from the game in the summer of 1997 but has maintained strong links with his former boss while spending much of his time promoting the game of beach football.
Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
---|---|---|---|
Auxerre | 01 Jul 1983 | 01 Jul 1988 | |
FC Martigues | L | ||
Olympique Marseille | 01 Jul 1988 | ||
Bordeaux | 01 Jul 1989 | ||
Montpellier | 01 Jul 1989 | 01 Jul 1990 | |
Olympique Marseille | 01 Jul 1990 | 01 Jul 1991 | |
Nimes Olympique | 01 Jul 1991 | 06 Feb 1992 | |
Leeds United | 06 Feb 1992 | 27 Nov 1992 | |
Manchester United | 27 Nov 1992 | 30 Jun 1997 |
Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992-93 | Leeds United | FA Charity Shield | 1 | 3 |
|||
1992-93 | Leeds United | Premier League | 12 | 1 |
6 |
3
|
|
1992-93 | Manchester United | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
1992-93 | Manchester United | Premier League | 21 | 1 |
9 |
2
|
|
1993-94 | Manchester United | FA Charity Shield | 1 | ||||
1993-94 | Manchester United | FA Cup | 5 | 4 |
|||
1993-94 | Manchester United | League Cup | 5 | 1 |
|||
1993-94 | Manchester United | Premier League | 34 | 18 |
2
|
2
|
|
1993-94 | Manchester United | UEFA Champions League | 4 | 2 |
|||
1994-95 | Manchester United | FA Charity Shield | 1 | 1 |
|||
1994-95 | Manchester United | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
|||
1994-95 | Manchester United | Premier League | 21 | 12 |
4
|
1
|
|
1994-95 | Manchester United | UEFA Champions League | 2 | ||||
1995-96 | Manchester United | FA Cup | 7 | 5 |
|||
1995-96 | Manchester United | League Cup | 1 | ||||
1995-96 | Manchester United | Premier League | 30 | 14 |
1
|
||
1996-97 | Europe | Representative | 1 | ||||
1996-97 | Manchester United | FA Charity Shield | 1 | 1 |
1
|
||
1996-97 | Manchester United | FA Cup | 3 |
2
|
|||
1996-97 | Manchester United | Premier League | 36 | 11 |
5
|
||
1996-97 | Manchester United | UEFA Champions League | 10 | 3 |
|||
2001-02 | World XI | Maradona Farewell Match | 1 | 1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
08 Aug 1992 | Leeds United v Liverpool | W | 4-3 | FA Charity Shield | |
15 Aug 1992 | Leeds United v Wimbledon | W | 2-1 | Premier League | |
19 Aug 1992 | Aston Villa v Leeds United | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
22 Aug 1992 | Middlesbrough v Leeds United | L | 4-1 | Premier League | |
25 Aug 1992 | Leeds United v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 5-0 | Premier League | |
29 Aug 1992 | Leeds United v Liverpool | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
01 Sep 1992 | Oldham Athletic v Leeds United | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
06 Sep 1992 | Manchester United v Leeds United | L | 2-0 | Premier League | |
13 Sep 1992 | Leeds United v Aston Villa | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
26 Sep 1992 | Leeds United v Everton | W | 2-0 | Premier League | |
03 Oct 1992 | Ipswich Town v Leeds United | L | 4-2 | Premier League | |
17 Oct 1992 | Leeds United v Sheffield United | W | 3-1 | Premier League | |
31 Oct 1992 | Leeds United v Coventry City | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
07 Nov 1992 | Manchester City v Leeds United | L | 4-0 | Premier League |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1982-83 | France | Internazionale Cannes | 1 |
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1986-87 | France | B International | 1 | ||||
1986-87 | France | UEFA Under-21 | 2 | 3 |
|||
1986-87 | France | Under-21 | 2 | 1 |
|||
1987-88 | France | Berlin Anniversary | 1 | 1 |
|||
1987-88 | France | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
1987-88 | France | UEFA European Championship | 2 | ||||
1987-88 | France | UEFA Under-21 | 4 | 3 |
|||
1989-90 | France | FIFA World Cup | 3 | 1 |
|||
1989-90 | France | International Friendly | 5 | 7 |
|||
1990-91 | France | International Friendly | 1 | ||||
1990-91 | France | UEFA European Championship | 4 | 1 |
|||
1991-92 | France | International Friendly | 4 | ||||
1991-92 | France | UEFA European Championship | 5 | 2 |
1
|
||
1992-93 | France | FIFA World Cup | 4 | 5 |
|||
1993-94 | France | FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 |
|||
1993-94 | France | International Friendly | 2 | 1 |
|||
1993-94 | France | Kirin Japan Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
1994-95 | France | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
1994-95 | France | UEFA European Championship | 4 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
04 Apr 1983 | France v Italy | W | 1-1 (3-1) | Internazionale Cannes | Final |
10 Sep 1986 | France v Hungary | W | 4-1 | U21 | |
10 Oct 1986 | France v USSR | W | 2-1 | UEFA U21 | Group 3 |
28 Apr 1987 | Scotland v France | D | 1-1 | B INTER | |
30 Apr 1987 | Scotland v France | D | 1-1 | U21 | |
15 Jun 1987 | Norway v France | W | 1-2 | UEFA U21 | Group 3 |
12 Aug 1987 | Germany v France | L | 2-1 | Berlin Anniversary | |
14 Oct 1987 | France v Norway | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 3 |
18 Nov 1987 | France v German Democratic Republic | L | 0-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 3 |
27 Jan 1988 | Israel v France | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
16 Mar 1988 | France v Italy | W | 2-1 | UEFA U21 | Quarter-final |
23 Mar 1988 | France v Spain | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
13 Apr 1988 | France v England | W | 4-2 | UEFA Under-21 | Semi-final |
27 Apr 1988 | England v France | D | 2-2 | UEFA Under-21 | Semi-final |
24 May 1988 | Greece v France | D | 0-0 | UEFA U21 | Final |
16 Aug 1989 | Sweden v France | W | 2-4 | International Friendly | |
05 Sep 1989 | Norway v France | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 5 |
11 Oct 1989 | France v Scotland | W | 3-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 5 |
18 Nov 1989 | France v Cyprus | W | 2-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 5 |
21 Jan 1990 | Kuwait v France | W | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
24 Jan 1990 | France v East Germany | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
28 Feb 1990 | France v West Germany | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
28 Mar 1990 | Hungary v France | W | 1-3 | International Friendly | |
15 Aug 1990 | France v Poland | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
05 Sep 1990 | Iceland v France | W | 1-2 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
13 Oct 1990 | France v Czechoslovakia | W | 2-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
20 Feb 1991 | France v Spain | W | 3-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
30 Mar 1991 | France v Albania | W | 5-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
12 Oct 1991 | Spain v France | W | 1-2 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
20 Nov 1991 | France v Iceland | W | 3-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
19 Feb 1992 | England v France | L | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
25 Mar 1992 | France v Belgium | D | 3-3 | International Friendly | |
27 May 1992 | Switzerland v France | L | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
05 Jun 1992 | France v Netherlands | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
10 Jun 1992 | Sweden v France | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Finals group 1 |
14 Jun 1992 | France v England | D | 0-0 | UEFA European Championship | Finals group 1 |
17 Jun 1992 | France v Denmark | L | 1-2 | UEFA European Championship | Finals group 1 |
14 Oct 1992 | France v Austria | W | 2-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
14 Nov 1992 | France v Finland | W | 2-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
17 Feb 1993 | Israel v France | W | 0-4 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
28 Apr 1993 | France v Sweden | W | 2-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
28 Jul 1993 | France v Russia | W | 3-1 | International Friendly | |
22 Aug 1993 | Sweden v France | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
08 Sep 1993 | Finland v France | W | 0-2 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
13 Oct 1993 | France v Israel | L | 2-3 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
17 Nov 1993 | France v Bulgaria | L | 1-2 | FIFA World Cup | Group 6 |
16 Feb 1994 | Italy v France | W | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
26 May 1994 | Australia v France | W | 0-1 | Kirin Japan Cup | |
29 May 1994 | Japan v France | W | 1-4 | KIRIN JAPAN CUP | |
17 Aug 1994 | France v Czech Republic | D | 2-2 | International Friendly | |
07 Sep 1994 | Slovakia v France | D | 0-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
08 Oct 1994 | France v Romania | D | 0-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
16 Nov 1994 | Poland v France | D | 0-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
13 Dec 1994 | Azerbaijan v France | W | 0-2 | UEFA European Championship | Group 1 |
18 Jan 1995 | Netherlands v France | W | 0-1 | International Friendly |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.