Cantona and Lineker slam Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Old TraffordEric Cantona has joined Gary Lineker in heavily criticising Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe over recent remarks concerning immigration. The former French forward revealed that his famous transfer from Leeds United in 1992 would never have happened if the billionaire had held a stake in the club at the time.
A frosty relationship with a former favourite
Ratona has long been cited as Ratcliffe’s favourite player, with the INEOS founder even naming his acquisition vehicle Trawlers Limited after the iconic seagull quote. Yet any admiration is entirely one-sided due to a sharp divide in their political views. Speaking in a video shared on TikTok with supporter Pete Boyle, the former talisman gave a blunt response when asked if he would have joined a club part-owned by Ratcliffe.
When the interviewer asked for further elaboration, the legendary number seven did not hold back his frustration. He questioned how a prominent club figure could make such remarks given the diverse nature of the sport. The former France international pointed out that the game’s greatest talents have historically emerged from various backgrounds and migration waves across Europe.
Drawing on history
Reflecting on his documentary, French Football: An Immigrant History, the outspoken icon highlighted legendary figures from past generations. He noted that players such as Raymond Kopa were sons of Polish workers, while others had roots stretching across the continent. Speaking in Belfast, he explained his personal connection to the subject, noting that his own mother came from Spanish refugees.
Ratcliffe previously told the BBC that the UK was declining due to immigration, claiming politicians lacked the toughness to tackle the issue. He also faced criticism earlier in the year after telling Sky News that the country had been colonised by immigrants, though he later apologised for his choice of language offending people.
Lineker joins the criticism
The backlash from football figures also includes Gary Lineker, who recently targeted the Old Trafford chief on his podcast. Speaking on The Rest is Football, the presenter suggested that the club’s unpopular owners had managed to find someone even less liked to take the brunt of the supporters’ anger. Lineker branded the INEOS founder an unpleasant human being while describing the current operational state of the club as a shambles.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said:
I must congratulate the Glazers on finding someone even worse than them that they can blame and getting him in there and getting all the stick: Jim Ratcliffe.
Lineker added further criticism about the direction of the club under the current leadership structure. He noted that the new minority stakeholder has effectively taken the pressure off the previous American owners by drawing widespread negative attention.
Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast:
He’s clearly… I don’t think he’s a particularly pleasant human being, and it’s a bit of a shambles of a football club the way it’s being run at the moment.
Cantona has already proven to be a fierce critic of the new regime, previously claiming the historic institution was being destroyed under the current setup. As the fallout from these controversial political statements continues to reverberate, the mounting pressure on the club’s hierarchy shows no sign of easing anytime soon.
