Legendary Manchester United forward Eric Cantona is launching a musical career by embarking on both a UK and European tour - yes, you read right.
The Frenchman retired from football back in 1997 and has attempted to have a go at a variety of things since. He has moved into acting, whilst he has regularly promoted a vast array of companies.
Elsewhere, the now 57-year-old also had a brief spell as the Director of Soccer with American outfit New York Cosmos. Cantona is now moving in a different direction having launched a musical career. An announcement on Friday confirmed that the former French international would be making his live singing debut during a UK and Ireland live tour.
He is set to perform three live shows in Manchester, London and Dublin in October, whilst he will also tour Europe. The tour is entitled ‘Cantona Sings Eric On Stage’, whilst it will be accompanied by his first-ever debut solo single on Friday June 2. Speaking about the tour, Cantona said: “Next year, I'll be playing with a band, but for now, I'm starting with a modest piano to play alongside me in intimate venues.
“I'll be starting in Manchester because it's a city that has stayed with me so much for the football, of course, but also the general atmosphere.”
Cantona infamously brought his footballing career to an end at just the age of 30 in 1997. As quoted in Fever Pitch: The rise of the Premier League book, he explained his decision to retire so early.
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He said: "I am afraid about one thing – the emptiness. I hate emptiness. When I lost the passion, lost the fire in me, I just retired. I tried to light it again but I knew it was the end. I admire the players who play until the age of 40 but…"
Former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer previously expressed his surprise at Cantona’s decision but claimed it was just typical of the enigmatic Frenchman. As quoted by the Red Devils’ official website, he said: “Well, that’s just Eric for you.
“After the West Ham game, when we beat them [2-0] in the last game of the season, he rented a restaurant called Tarantella in Poynton, just for his family and friends, his dad and his brother, and me and my wife and Jordi [Cruyff] and his girlfriend, and so it was just us three players there.
“We had a party, danced all night, doing the famous Pulp Fiction dancing, I can still remember Eric being up there!
“At 4am, we said our goodbyes and, a couple of days later, me and Jordi and our partners went down to London, and, as we arrived in London, we got off the train and it was on the radio that Eric Cantona had decided to retire.
“That’s just Eric for you – he had never mentioned anything to us when we were partying two days before.”
