The Legend of Eric the King

Since my last two posts involved a French soccer player suffering an inexplicable and violent meltdown, and the "bad ass" caliber of an ethnic group, I need to spend some time discussing Eric Cantona. Cantona is perhaps the most bad ass Frenchmen of all-time, and a soccer player who once suffered a violent and legendary meltdown.


Most Americans know a bearded, chubby Cantona from Nike's Joga Bonito spots. Back in the 90's, Cantona cut quite the trim, swashbuckling figure as the star forward for Manchester United, who dominated the English Premier League in historic fashion during that time period.

His bizarre, kung-fu style kick in the video above wasn't his most suave moment. Then again, the French have never excelled at combat. But you do get to see a little bit of Cantona's famous strut, which would stop a rooster in its tracks.

Cantona made up for the awkward kick by facing the press after the incident and uttering, in deliberate and halting English, "when the seagulls... follow the trawler... it's because they think... sardines will be thrown into the sea."

He then abruptly left the press conference and said nothing more about the incident.

Cantona is still worshipped by Manchester United fans. Luckily for the Red Devil's British supporters, The French National Team wasn't competitive internationally during King Cantona's reign. If they had been, Cantona was so beloved, a large group of Englishmen might have been forced to do the unthinkable and root for the French in international play.

*He was sometimes called Eric the Red.
** More Cantona highlights.