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.
Manchester United : début de règne
2023
L'Âge d'or de la pub
Self (archive footage)
2023
AKA
Victor Pastore
2023
Sir Bobby Charlton: The First Gentleman Of Football
Himself
2023
The Fragile Colossus
Sébastien
2022
Guy Roux, une histoire de France
2022
Liam Gallagher: 48 Hours at Rockfield
Himself (Archive Footage)
2022
Robbo: The Bryan Robson Story
Self
2021
The Modern Game
Self
2018
Soprano : le documentaire événement
Self
2018
When Football Changed Forever - The Story of the 1991/1992 Football Division One Season
Self
2016
The Mad Kings
Jacky
2015
Les Enfoirés - Les Enfoirés en chœur de 1985 à aujourd'hui
2014
The Salvation
Corsican
2014
Looking for Rio
Self - Host
2014
Football And Immigration, 100 Years Of Common History
Self
2014
Looking for Athènes
Self - Host
2013
The Class of ‘92
Self
2013
You and the Night
The Stallion
2013
Looking for Buenos Aires
Self - Host
2012
Hip Moves
Michel
2012
Football Rebels
Self
2012
Porn in the Hood
L'entraineur de foot
2012
Looking for Barcelona
Self
2012
Force
Manuel Makarov
2011
Switch
Damien Forgeat
2011
Eric Cantona: Looking For Manchester
Self
2010
Together Is Too Much
Gérard
2010
Death List
Michaël Lombardi
2009
Looking for Eric
Self
2009
French Film
Thierry Grimandi
2008
Jack Says
Man At Bar
2008
Black Butterfly
Jack
2008
The Second Wind
Alban
2007
La vie est à nous !
Pierre "L'oiseau bleu"
2005
De Caunes-Garcia - Le meilleur de nulle part ailleurs
Self (archive footage)
2004
The Car Keys
Actor who refuses to film with Laurent
2003
The Overeater
Le commissaire Séléna
2003
The High Life
Joueur de pétanque 2
2001
The Children of the Marshland
Joseph "Jo" Sardi
1999
Mookie
Antoine Capella
1998
Elizabeth
Monsieur de Foix
1998
Nike: Good vs. Evil
Éric Cantona
1996
Happiness Is in the Field
Lionel
1995
Les Matins merveilleux
Key of Gibraltar
Voice from Archival Footage
2025
Schmeichel
Self
2025
Schmeichel
self · (2 episodes)
2025
Murder Club
Daniel Hansen · (4 episodes)
2024
The Killer
Gobert
2024
Brigade anonyme
Julien Castaneda · (4 episodes)
2024
Beckham
Self · (4 episodes)
2023
Magic 7
Eric
2023
Fever Pitch: The Rise of the Premier League
Self · (4 episodes)
2021
Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In
Self
2021
The United Way
Self
2021
Sykora Gisler – Der Fussball-Talk
Self · (1 episode)
2020
Inhuman Resources
Alain Delambre · (6 episodes)
2020
Busby
Self
2019
The Traveller
Thomas Bareski · (16 episodes)
2019
Ulysse & Mona
Ulysse
2018
Anka
Brazilian
2017
The Blues: Another Story of France
Self
2016
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Self - Music · (1 episode)
2016
Marie and the Misfits
Antoine
2016
Looking for Alger
Self
2015
Un soir à la tour Eiffel
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Looking for
(8 episodes)
2013
Délit de fuite
Paul
2013
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone
Self (uncredited)
2013
Looking for Istanbul
Self - Host
2012
Looking for Milano
Self - Host
2011
Looking for Manchester
Self
2010
C à vous
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Manchester United: The Official History 1878-2008
Self
2008
Lisa et le pilote d'avion
Fando
2006
Les Enfoirés, 15 ans d'Enfoirés
2005
Manchester United: The Official History 1878-2002
Self (Forward 1992-97)
2002
The Football Years
Self · (6 episodes)
2002
Blue Steel: The Hard Men of Ibrox
2001
Rangers FC: Battle of Britain - Rule Britannia
1999
Andy Goram: The Goalie
Self (archive footage)
1999
Nike | The Wall
Cantona
The Alex Ferguson Story
Self
1998
Les Enfoirés 1998 - Enfoirés en cœur
1998
Manchester United - Official Review 1996/97 - Champions Again!
Self (archive footage)
1997
Eric the King
Self
1994
När bollen var rund
Self
1992
Eric Cantona: Tout Va Bien
Sacrée soirée
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Champs-Elysées
Self · (1 episode)
1982
Alter Ego
(1 episode)