The Iconic Cantona Speech

After accepting the 2019 UEFA Presidents Award, Eric Cantona's bewildering yet profound speech left us all confused and also amazed.

Eric Cantona accepting the award

Eric Cantona has been known to be a bit strange at times but I think this speech may just be up there with the greatest pieces of literary genius ever.

Back in August of 2019 during the UCL draw, Manchester United Legend Eric Cantona was presented with the UEFA Presidents Award in a room filled with football royalty. With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi watching Cantona accept the award, they were later seen with puzzled looks on their faces, struggling to understand what Eric was saying and the randomness of his speech.

Eric is already known to be quite a wild and boisterous individual as there were many times during his professional career where he would do some very peculiar things. During his career at Manchester United, where he had 143 appearances and 63 goals as the clubs number 7, he got into some trouble in 1995 and was facing jail time for kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace fan at Selhurst Park.

Eric won multiple trophies whilst at Man United but when asked to recollect on a favourite moment in his time at the club he said “My best moment? I have a lot of good moments but the one I prefer is when I kicked the hooligan.” This was at a crucial time in the season which led to Cantona being banned for the remainder of the season and him having to go to court to plead his case. Cantona plead not guilty and was later acquitted of the charges.

With reporters swarming, waiting outside croydon crown court for the emergence of Eric, he knew he had to say something to the press. After being bombarded with questions about the incident, his remorse etc, he looks up at the reporters and simply says, “When the seagulls follow the trawlers, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you.” Now this would be quite a strange thing to say for anyone else, but for Cantona it kind of seem out of character. Many people have since asked him about that iconic quote and haven’t quite been able to make sense of it other than, its Eric Cantona being Eric Cantona.

Now, this brings us to 2019. The UEFA Champions League Draw. Eric Cantona won the UEFA Presidents Award being presented at the UCL draw. among many other individual player awards that were presented on the night. Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk later beat Messi and Ronaldo to be named Uefa’s player of the year, while the England defender Lucy Bronze took out the women’s player of the year award.

Simply accepting the award, saying thank you and walking of stage would’ve been the most logical thing to do right? well, not if you are Eric Cantona. As his acceptance speech left the audience in a confused state.

He began by quoting Shakespeare’s King Lear and continued with some of his own, equally as profound words.

“As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods, they kill us for their sport,

Soon the science will not only be able to slow down the ageing of the cells, soon the science will fix the cells to the state and so we will become eternal.

Only accidents, crimes, wars, will still kill us but unfortunately, crimes, wars, will multiply. I love football. Thank you.”

Wow. I may be mistaken, but to add to the words of shakespeare and some may say, even improve upon, is an astonishing feat in and of itself.

The Mystery of Eric Cantona continues to elude the footballing world as I’m sure he will continue to give us gems and moments like this for another little while.