Why Is Zlatan Ibrahimovic Attracting Eric Cantona Comparisons at Man United?
Eric Cantona spent the summer of 2016 making a series of stylish, opinionated videos for Eurosport, meaning he was squarely in football's public eye when Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed for Manchester United.
Cantona said (h/t Sky Sports):
"I have a personal message for Zlatan: You decided to go red. It is the best choice you ever made.
When you walk into the Theatre of Dreams. When you can feel the ghosts of the legends that have been here before. When you score that first goal right in front of Stretford End. When you hear the crowd chanting your name.
When your heart beats so strong that it bursts out of your chest. When you feel that you will love them as much as they will love you. You will know, my friend, that you finally made it home.
Just one last thing, there can only be one King in Manchester. You can be the Prince if you want to. And the No. 7 is yours if you are interested. That is my welcome gift to you… The King is gone! Long live the Prince!
"
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Ibrahimovic responded in classic Zlatan style—presumably with tongue firmly in cheek. He told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet (h/t Sky Sports): "I admire Cantona and I heard what he said. But I won't be King of Manchester. I will be God of Manchester."
It was a public interchange full of humour from both men and pathos on Cantona's part.
The Frenchman's public love letter to the Stretford End spoke volumes for the depth of his attachment to United and United's attachment to him.
Cantona's impact on Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United is hard to overstate. For those not fortunate to have lived through the Reds' renaissance, the timeline was as follows.
In the season before he arrived, the Red Devils had seen a bona fide title challenge collapse as Cantona's Leeds United won the First Division in 1991-92—the final season before the English top flight was rebranded. By November 26 of the following season, the Red Devils had played 16, won six, drawn six and lost four.
Then they signed Cantona, out of favour at Elland Road, and everything changed. From then until the end of the season, they played 26, won 18, drew six and lost just two. The Frenchman scored nine goals and provided a talismanic presence.
A season later, they won the league and FA Cup double—and made it to the final of the League Cup. Then came the emergence of the Class of '92 into the first team.
It is hard to overstate the impact Cantona had on that stellar crop of young players. Ryan Giggs, who provided plenty of assists for the Frenchman during his time at United, said in his 1994 book My Story (h/t the club's website):
"When you see Eric Cantona staying on for extra training, brushing up on his skills, it makes you realise you can’t be satisfied with what you’re doing. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter what we call each other, who can dance, or who dresses well. For a football team what counts is what you do on the pitch.
"
David Beckham told Sky Sports: "When I first came into the team at United, we used to watch Eric stay behind later than any player, practising every day, and it rubbed off on us.
In 2013, former United kit man Albert Morgan spoke to Republik of Mancunia about Cantona's dedication:
"I can always remember being away for the cup final against Liverpool. We were staying at a place called Oakley Court in Windsor, and all the staff were having the usual meal on the Friday night with the manager when I just saw this ground floor window opening in the hotel, and next thing I know there’s a leg coming out of it.
Then another, and then this body slipped down the wall and it was Eric. I just said to the manager "What’s going on here?" and of course the manager looked across and we both just started laughing as Eric was doing stretches and exercises against the wall – he had his leg up on the window sill and all. He did that for about ten minutes, climbed back up the wall, shut the window and was off to sleep.
That kind of work rate had a big influence on the players who grew up around him.
"
And, of course, he made a massive difference to United in a footballing sense. He was banned for a swathe of the 1994/95 season after kicking a fan in the stands at Crystal Palace. That ban carried over into the following campaign, but his return changed the outcome of the title race.
United went into March 1996 in second place behind Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United. The month started with a 1-0 win over the Magpies at St James' Park, thanks to a Cantona goal. They played three more games that month, winning two 1-0 and drawing the other 1-1. The Frenchman scored all United's goals.
They went into April top and held on to win the league.
His on-pitch presence was massive, and his off-pitch influence clearly had a huge impact. After he left, the crop of youngsters who had been so influenced by him were a key part of the team that won Sir Alex the treble for which he earned his knighthood.
And it is that latter factor that so keenly draws the comparisons between Cantona and Ibrahimovic.
Because of the Swedish striker's age, he is unlikely to have anything like the long-term impact on the pitch that Cantona did. He already has a knack for scoring important goals and as long as he stays fit will continue to do so, but the key comparisons with the Old Trafford icon surround his potential influence, the legacy he will leave with those who watched him in action.
After the win over Bournemouth, United manager Jose Mourinho said, per The Independent: "The first thing I can tell you is that his table for breakfast and for meals he is surrounded by the young ones, the kids. Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, these are the guys who are with him at the table. He knows what he can be for them."
Mourinho had previously told BT Sport (h/t the Mirror):
"He is brilliant with the young boys. I think, for [Marcus] Rashford, this is a gift. People can say he is not going to play every game from the start, like in the second part of last season, but this is a gift for the kid, too.
We are so happy to have him. We couldn't find a better striker than him to give us the stability we need.
"
Timothy Fosu-Mensah sounded a lot like Beckham talking about Cantona when he told Fox Sports Netherlands (h/t Manchester Evening News):
"Training with Zlatan is very special and you learn a lot. After [training] you see how he takes free-kicks and how he finishes, then you see what a top player he is.
If you face him, you can also learn a lot from him. You are extra sharp as you train against him and so you don't look ridiculous.
"
Cantona probably does not hold the right to bestow the No. 7 shirt upon new signings at United—though he should. In any case, Ibrahimovic took Anthony Martial's No. 9 rather than Memphis Depay's No. 7.
In plenty of other respects, though, the Swede is the closest thing the club have had to Cantona in a long time.
Time will tell how apt the comparison becomes, but for now, between his charisma, his footballing ability and the impact he can have on United's youngsters, it is clear why people are making it.
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