From Manchester United and Leeds to France, King Eric's best clobber, ranked
(Image credit: Getty)
The 80s and 90s were a glorious time for football kits and few wore them better than Eric Cantona. So iconic was the Frenchman's look, the Arctic Monkeys have even written a song featuring the line, "Collar popped like Cantona".
As part of Eric Cantona week at FFT, we have listed the seven best shirts Cantona wore in his glittering career.
Time for a glorious trip down Memory Lane...
7. Manchester United home 1994/95
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Black collars popped, Cantona had been in sensational in the first half of the 1994/95 season, before the infamous assault at Crystal Palace in January saw him suspended for eight months and fined £20,000.
Cantona was only at Leeds for eight months. In that time, he scored 14 goals and won a First Division title. Not bad...
Leeds' all-white kits are always easy on the eye, and this one – from their most recent top-flight winning campaign – was especially gorgeous. The blue and white collar is especially classy.
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5. Manchester United third 94-96
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While it was another team in blue and white that swept to the title in 1994/95, United held on to this number for a second term the following season and reasserted their dominance with a bunch of whelps.
While Becks, Scholes, Butt and the Nevilles grabbed headlines, it was King Eric who ensured Sir Alex Ferguson's young team got their hands in silverware. He looked marvellous in this absolute classic, respondent with giant golden Sharp sponsor.
4. Manchester United third 93-95
You only need to glimpse this shirt and you're immediately transported back to the mid-90s, and it's always Cantona wearing it in your mind's eye.
The green and gold design pays homage to Manchester United's previous incarnation, Newton Heath, which they were known as between 1878 and 1902. The lace-up front is sensational and the enormous crest shield combo is so iconic. An all round cracker.
3. Manchester United away 93-95
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This shouldn't be as cool as it is. It shouldn't work this well... but it does.
Black kits always look menacing but the blue cuffs and yellow piping sounds like it should be a bit naff. Yet it's a stunning combo and Sharp Viewcam is a wonderfully specific sponsor. This is also the shirt Cantona was wearing the day he kung-fu kicked that Crystal Palace fan. FFT don't condone violence... but it's an iconic Premier League moment which only adds to the kit's legend.
2. France home Euro 92
(Image credit: Getty)
Euro 92 might be somewhat forgotten on these shores (what with England Scotland stinking the place up and both exiting in the group stage), but the kits there were some of the greatest at any major tournament.
France's was no exception. The 26-year-old Cantona started all three of Les Blues' group stage games – as they too went out in the first round. He might not have found the back of the net, but he and his team-mates looked nothing short of incredible. Those shoulder stripes!
1. Manchester United home 92-94
(Image credit: PA)
The first shirt Cantona wore at Manchester United transpired to be the best. King Eric entered the stage in November 1992 and immediately inspired his teammates to that season's Premier League title.
The big white collar, Umbro and Sharp sponsors are all delightful, but it's all about that lace up front. They just don't make them like this anymore...
Ed is a staff writer at FourFourTwo, working across the magazine and website. A German speaker, he’s been working as a football reporter in Berlin since 2015, predominantly covering the Bundesliga and Germany's national team. Favourite FFT features include an exclusive interview with Jude Bellingham following the youngster’s move to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, a history of the Berlin Derby since the fall of the Wall and a celebration of Kevin Keegan’s playing career.
