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Eric Cantona arrived from Leeds United in 1992 and changed the emotional weather around Manchester United. Ferguson already had a young, improving side, but Cantona gave it swagger, imagination and the sense that difficult matches could be solved by one player seeing a pass or finish before anyone else.
His route to Old Trafford had been restless: Auxerre, loans, Marseille, Nimes, Leeds and repeated friction with authority. At United that volatility did not disappear, but it was channelled into a team that needed belief. Cantona played as a forward, but not a conventional No. 9. He dropped into pockets, linked midfield to attack and gave runners such as Giggs, Kanchelskis and later the Class of 92 a reference point.
The 1995 Selhurst Park incident and suspension are inseparable from his story. They could have ended the relationship; instead, his return became part of United folklore. In 1995-96 he captained a younger side to the Double, scoring decisive goals while Beckham, Scholes, Butt and the Nevilles grew around him.
Cantona retired in 1997, abruptly and early, which preserved some of the mythology. He did not have Rooney's longevity or Ronaldo's statistical scale, but his influence was structural. He helped Ferguson's United become champions, then helped young players believe that being Manchester United meant imposing yourself on the game.