Manchester United legend Eric Cantona is still grabbing the headlines at 56, scoring a high quality header during a charity football match in his native France.
The Frenchman, who moved from Leeds to Manchester in 1992 for £1.2m, helped United to win the inaugural Premier League, their first title for 26 years.
And the former captain showed that he has lost none of that class while appearing alongside former French internationals in a money raising game earlier this week, as reported in The Sun.
Fellow ex United star and French international, Fabian Barthez, also featured, with the 51 year old former goalkeeper playing outfield, something he famously begged Sir Alex Ferguson to allow during a pre season match.
Also featuring was former Premier League striker, Djibril Cisse, who spent 5 seasons in England, playing for United’s arch rivals Liverpool, as well as Sunderland and QPR.
Cantona, who retired some 25 years ago, showed everyone including his own son, who also played, just why he is thought of so highly in both Manchester and France.
The 45 times capped former France international could be seen happily posing for photos with his fellow legends in the tunnel before the match.
Ever the popular, if misunderstood figure, Cantona was the talisman he always was in this match, rolling back the years to be heavily involved from the start, as well as to take his goal with class.
Making headlines both on and off the pitch, the revered Frenchman was seen in highlights making an intelligent run across the front post, before flicking a header into the goal.
And as if it wasn’t enough for fans to see King Eric on show, the crowd were treated to a glimpse of perhaps the next generation of Cantona talent.
13 year old Emir, not only appeared alongside his own father, but found himself on the score sheet too.
Latching onto a ball and sprinting into the box, the youngster calmly slotted the ball in the corner with his right foot.
While Eric seemed to have enjoyed his time back on the pitch, his focus these days is firmly off of it. As the man who’s name rings around Old Trafford to this day concentrates on his work in film and media, how the current game longs for a man like Cantona.
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