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Cantona: kung-fu kick is best memory

Eric Cantona: kick sparked major controversy in 1995
Eric Cantona: kick sparked major controversy in 1995

Manchester United legend Eric Cantona claims his infamous kung fu-style kick on a Crystal Palace fan was the best memory of his career.

The Frenchman was banned in 1995 after launching himself into the crowd with a kick at Palace fan Matthew Simmons after being sent off.

The incident was a black spot on a magnificent career but Cantona - who recently became director of football for the New York Cosmos - insists it was a high point.

Asked on BBC's Football Focus what the highlight of his career was, he responded: 'When I did the kung fu kick on the hooligan, because these kind of people don't have to be at the game.

'I think maybe it's like a dream for some, you know sometimes to kick these kind of people.

'So I did it for them. So they are happy. It's a kind of freedom for them.

'So I speak about that because maybe they felt it. Because they felt something special physically. Maybe it was a different feeling. It's a great feeling, but different.'

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