Eric Cantona shaped the lives of many aspiring footballers’ in the ’90s and Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has now named the Manchester United legend as his footballing idol growing up.
Schmeichel, who is an academy graduate at Manchester City, was only young when his father, Peter, was playing alongside Cantona in the serial-winning side under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Both goalkeepers have been successful in the Premier League and Kasper has admitted that Cantona’s aura is one of the reasons he looked up to the legendary number seven.
“Eric Cantona,” he swiftly told Sky Sports Football when he was quizzed on who his footballing idol growing up was.
“Just the aura about him. Again, for me, it’s what a player brings to a team and he came in and elevated Man United to the next level. He was amazing. The technical ability but the way he made everyone around him better.
“He was aspiring as a youngster, someone I thought he was cool as well. I thought he was cool, he was just unique.”
Kasper joined his father in becoming a Premier League champion in 2016 after helping Leicester through an unforgettable campaign but had to wait until last season to record his first victory at Old Trafford.
Manchester United were given a losing hand in their run-in last season, with Ole Gunnar Solskjer’s side playing three games in the space of five days. As a result, the Norwegian manager fielded a sub-par team to face Schmeichel’s side in an encounter the Foxes took home.