From the publisher:
Éric Cantona is an enduring enigma. No Frenchman in the past 50 years has so successfully captured the British imagination. In scintillating essays that bring to life Cantona’s wild swings – on what felt like a weekly basis – between hero and villain, this idiosyncratic catalogue of the footballer’s 82 goals for Manchester United, describing the matches in which each goal was scored, is a close-up portrait of an unparalleled artist which takes the reader back to some of footballing’s most cherished moments.
Manchester United was dominating English football during this period, a run of success which began with their first league title in 26 years during the 1992–3 season. Inspiring younger players such as Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, Cantona was, and remains, an iconic figure, known for his style and effortless grace, his French flair and his unwavering, unapologetic non-conformity.
The author:
Valentin Deudon is an author, poet and football fan. He has written two books on football: Le premier fanion (The First Pennant), about his earliest experience playing for a football club, and Miettes footballistiques (Football Fragments), a collection of short essays on the game. He is also the author of L’intendresse, a fragmentary work made up of poems and texts about a long journey by bicycle.
Ian Monk was a writer, translator and member of Oulipo. His translations include works by George Perec, Daniel Pennac, Marie Darrieussecq and Jacques Roubaud. He was a prolific poet who published many volumes of poetry. Monk died in September 2025 shortly after completing his translation of 82 Goals.
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