Red Devils legend Eric Cantona was blown away by one iconic match in the illustrious managerial career of former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Sir Alex Ferguson is widely regarded as one of the best managers of all time and oversaw a prolific period of success at Manchester United and Aberdeen.
The 82-year-old Scotsman arrived at Old Trafford in 1986 and weathered a tough start to life at United before hoovering up the major silverware at the club.
Ferguson led the Red Devils to all 13 of their Premier League titles and United became the first English club to lift a continental treble in 1999.
The United legend bowed out of management in 2013 after the Red Devils captured their last Premier League trophy in the 2012-13 season.
Ferguson was in awe at Eric Cantona’s brilliance and hailed the impact that the Frenchman had during his prolific spell at Old Trafford.
The iconic Scot named former United star Cantona as one of the four world-class players he managed during his time at the Red Devils.
Cantona talks iconic Ferguson match
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Eric Cantona opened up on his relationship with Aberdeen and Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson snapped up Cantona from United’s rivals Leeds United in 1992 and the legendary former No 7 had a seminal impact at the Red Devils.
Cantona lifted four Premier League titles and two FA Cups under Ferguson before he announced his sudden retirement at the age of 30 in 1997.
The former France international hailed Ferguson as a “tactician” and spotlighted the United legend’s famous win over Real Madrid when he was Aberdeen manager.
Ferguson famously led Aberdeen to the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983 with a remarkable 2-1 win over Real Madrid in the final at the Nya Ullevi in Gothenburg.
“He won many games tactically, for so many times,” Cantona said.
“When he was a manager of Aberdeen, he has been champion of Scotland, he won the Cup Winners’ Cup against Real Madrid, I think it was.
“So, I think he was a genius as a tactician. It’s Alex Ferguson. He’s just a legend, a genius.”
Archie Knox on Ferguson’s Madrid win
Archie Knox was Ferguson’s assistant manager at Aberdeen and followed the Scotsman to Old Trafford to hold the same role at United.
The former United assistant manager recalled that Ferguson was convinced that they could beat Madrid when he was in charge of Aberdeen.
“Alex had it drummed into them,” he said, as per The Press and Journal in 2023.
“No win came naturally and you had to do all the basics in the game and do them well to win.
“It was the same when we played Real Madrid earlier that year. There was confidence but never once did he take anything for granted.
“Alex told me he had watched Madrid and felt we had a great chance of beating them but then warned me not to tell any of the players that.
“That’s how he approached everything.”
