
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona (born 24 May 1966) is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in five years and two League and FA Cup Doubles.
Cantona is often regarded as having played a key role in the revival of Manchester United as a footballing force and he enjoys iconic status at the club. He wore the number 7 shirt at United, which was previously worn by George Best and Bryan Robson, and subsequently worn by David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. Cantona is affectionately nicknamed by Manchester United fans "King Eric", and was voted as Manchester United's greatest ever player by Inside United magazine. Set against his footballing achievements was a poor disciplinary record throughout his career, including a conviction for assault on a fan in 1995.
Following his retirement from football, he took up a career in cinema and had a role in the 1998 film Elizabeth, starring Cate Blanchett, and the 2009 film Looking for Eric.
In 2010, he debuted as a stage actor in Face au paradis, a French play directed by his wife, Rachida Brakni.
On 19 January 2011, Cantona joined the revived New York Cosmos as Director of Soccer.

The Killer
2024 · as Gobert

Elizabeth
1998 · as Monsieur de Foix

AKA
2023 · as Victor Pastore

The Class of ‘92
2013 · as Self

Porn in the Hood
2012 · as L'entraineur de foot

The Salvation
2014 · as Corsican

Together for Palestine
2025 · as Self

La Nirvana
2026

Vos 40 chansons préférées des Enfoirés
2025 · as Self (archive footage)

Cantona
2026 · as Self

Looking for Eric
2009 · as Self

The Car Keys
2003 · as Actor who refuses to film with Laurent

Death List
2009 · as Michaël Lombardi

Black Butterfly
2008 · as Jack

L'Âge d'or de la pub
2023 · as Self (archive footage)

Force
2011 · as Manuel Makarov

Schmeichel
2025 · as Self

Switch
2011 · as Damien Forgeat