Eric Cantona speech at UEFA Champions League draw
The Frenchman won the President's Award and made a speech that left many, including Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo confused.
Eric Cantona won the UEFA President's Award at the Champions League draw tonight in Monaco. His acceptance speech left many somewhat bemused as he discussed the amazing possibilities of science, but also a pessimistic outlook on crime and war. The first line of Cantona's speech was a take on the Duke of Gloucester's speech in King Lear.
Eric Cantona speech in full:
"As flies to wanton boys, we are for the gods. They kill us for the sport. Soon the science will not only be able to slow down the ageing of the cells, soon the science will fix the cells to the state and so we will become eternal. Only accidents, crimes, wars... will still kill us, but unfortunately crimes and wars will multiply. I love football. Thank you."
The audience, including Messi and Ronaldo clearly didn't know what to make of it.
The Duke of Gloucester's speech in King Lear runs as follows:
I' th' last night's storm I such a fellow saw,
Which made me think a man a worm. My son
Came then into my mind, and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him. I have heard more since.
As flies to wanton boys are we to th' gods,
They kill us for their sport.
Cantona's seagull quote
The speech brought back memories of Cantona's famous statement after winning an appeal against a two-week prison sentence for kicking an abusive football spectator back in 1995. "When seagulls follow the trawler it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea", he said back then before leaving the press conference.