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Eric Cantona tells Cristiano Ronaldo he didn’t ‘accept he’s NOT 25 anymore’, and that he didn’t help Man United’s youngsters in the process, led to his bitter exit, as he compares the end of his career to ‘ To die’.
- Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United after the termination of his contract
- This followed him giving an explosive interview to Piers Morgan in November.
- Eric Cantona believes that Ronaldo was not willing to accept that he is getting older
- He feels that Ronaldo should have helped the younger players in the United team.
- Cantona has hinted that he feels some sympathy for the Portuguese star
- The Man United legend has claimed that “the end of a career is like dying”
Manchester United legend Eric Cantona believes Cristiano Ronaldo’s refusal to accept that he is nearing the end of his career led to his acrimonious departure from Old Trafford.
Ronaldo returned to the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ in 2021 and scored 24 goals in all competitions in his first season at the club.
However, he fell out of favor with Erik ten Hag at the start of the current campaign and subsequently gave a revealing interview to Piers Morgan, where he criticized the manager and the club.
Cristiano Ronaldo left Man United in November after criticizing manager Erik ten Hag
Eric Cantona believes Ronaldo’s refusal to accept that he is getting older led to his departure from United
That interview marked the end of his time at United as his contract was terminated and he now joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo turns 38 next month, and Cantona believes Ronaldo’s downfall at United was due to his failure to accept that he was getting older and that his role in the team had changed.
“I think you have two types of players at the end of their career. I decided to retire young, that’s another thing. And then whoever wants to play and play until they’re 40 years old,” Cantona told Manchester evening news.
“There are two types of players: the one who wants to play every game because he still thinks he’s 25 and the one who realizes he’s not 25 and is here to help young players, they know they won’t play every game. , they know they will play some games.
Cantona believes that Ronaldo should have been willing to help the team’s younger players
Ronaldo has now moved to Al-Nassr after accepting a lucrative offer from the Saudi club.
‘But his part is to help the young players. As (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic continues to do with Milan, Ryan Giggs or (Paolo) Maldini when he was at Milan.
But I think Ronaldo did not realize, and still does not realize, that he is not 25 years old. You’re just older and should have realized that instead of not being happy to play some games, say, “Okay, I’m not 25, I can’t play all the games, but I’ll help young players and accept that situation.” and that’s it”. my situation”‘.
Cantona sensationally stepped away from football when he was just 30 and apparently still at the peak of his powers, having helped United to four league titles in five seasons.
Since then, he has carved out a career in the film industry as an actor, director and producer, proving that he could leave football behind.
But he is fully aware of how difficult retirement can be to accept and has hinted at some sympathy for Ronaldo by comparing the end of a career to death.
Cantona walked away from football at 30, but admits it’s hard for him to accept retirement
‘It’s like everything in the world, you have people who accept that they are older. You have to accept it. In everything we do. Not just in soccer. In everything,’ he continued.
‘I can’t run as fast as when I was 30, I have to accept it. I have to accept that I will die one day. It’s hard to accept but we have to. And the end of a career is like dying. It’s a little death.
‘You have to start something else. And before you die, you are getting old and you have to accept that you are getting old. You can’t do the things you do.
“You can sing until you are 80 years old, you can act until you are 80 years old, but soccer players or athletes know that from the age of 30, from 33, physically every day is more difficult.
‘You have to accept that, either you retire, or you say I will help the young generation.’