Manchester United legend Eric Cantona insists he will stop supporting the Red Devils if they rebrand Old Trafford with a sponsor, as Arsenal have done.
The Gunners abandoned their old Highbury ground in 2006 and moved to a new location nearby, and their new home was immediately named Emirates Stadium, with the airline also becoming the North London giants’ shirt sponsor.
Arsenal are far from the only team to do this, but Cantona believes they have sold their soul and hopes Man Utd never does the same or he will cease to be a fan.
The French franc is always fascinating to listen to, and he seems to have some very strong convictions on these matters, saying he hopes Old Trafford will remain Old Trafford.
“We used to talk about my favorite football stadiums, but now all the stadiums are called Emirates or Allianz,” Cantona told The Athletic.
“These stadiums have lost the soul and history of the club, like Arsenal and West Ham. I played in those old stadiums, like Highbury and Upton Park.
“I spoke to some Arsenal fans and they hate these (new) stadiums. These fans lost the soul of their clubs.
“Fortunately, Old Trafford is still Old Trafford. Anfield is still Anfield.
“But can you imagine Old Trafford becoming a brand new stadium? If they ever do that, I’m sorry, but I’m not a United fan anymore. And I left football forever!
“But please don’t call this stadium Nestlé, or Amazon, please. Old Trafford is Old Trafford.”
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Cantona also spoke about boycotting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, saying he plans to go on a trip instead of paying attention to the tournament, which starts in November.
“It’s just about money and the way they treated the people who built the stadiums, it’s horrible,” Cantona said.
“And thousands of people died. And yet, we are going to celebrate this World Cup.
“Personally, I won’t see it. I understand that football is a business. But I thought it was the only place where everyone could have a chance.”
