“Manchester United took my dad away” - Patrice Evra recalls moment with son after he says Premier League club wanted him to come out of retirement

Manchester United great Patrice Evra has spoken about an emotional moment with his son during his playing days, and an offer he received after his retirement. The former French defender enjoyed a successful professional career with the Red Devils, also turning out for Juventus, Olympique Marseille, AS Monaco, and West Ham United.

Evra was a key member of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United side that dominated English football for a large chunk of the 2000s. The Frenchman spent eight years with the club, winning the Premier League on five occasions and the UEFA Champions League once.

Patrice Evra spoke as a guest on Shane Todd's 'Tea With Me' podcast, where he shared how a footballer's job may impact their family using his as an example. He also revealed that he had an offer from a Premier League side to continue his career three years after he retired from the game. The Frenchman said:

"I was approached by a Premier League team three years ago [in 2021, three years after retiring] to come back to play, but to be honest, I don't miss football. But if you say, 'Patrice, let's go we have a game,' I will train like when I was a professional."

"People don't understand, some people play football for fun, but I always say, it's easy to reach the top of the pyramid, but to stay at the top, that's when you have to make sacrifices. It's a 24-hour job; you have to eat and sleep football. You have to be dedicated to that."

"When you do that you sacrifice time with your family and with your friends. I always tell the story of when I came back home one day, and my son, who was three years old, was crying. I asked why, and he said, 'Because I hate Manchester United.'"

“I thought, ‘Oh my God, he's Liverpool or Chelsea, man, don't tell me that or I'm going to have a heart attack,’ but I asked why, and he said, 'Man United took my dad away.'"

Evra has seamlessly transitioned into punditry since his retirement and is now one of the most recognizable pundits in the game.

Manchester United legend leads club to win in Leicester City clash

Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy has gotten his stint as interim manager off to an excellent start. The Dutchman played over 200 games for the Red Devils and had been working as an assistant manager with them since the summer of 2024.

Fresh from Erik ten Hag receiving the boot, Van Nistelrooy led his players to a 5-2 win in the Round of 16 of the Carabao Cup against Leicester City (October 30). Much-maligned midfielder Casemiro scored a brace, while captain Bruno Fernandes also found the net twice in the game.

Alejandro Garnacho scored for his side, as well, with Bilal El Khannouss and Conor Coady the scorers for Leicester City. The Red Devils will now face Tottenham Hotspur for a place in the last four of the competition.