Top 7 footballers who missed out in the International Arena

Eric Cantona (France)

Another Manchester United legend finds his place in this list of ‘unlucky legends’. “King Eric”, as he was affectionately called, made his international debut against West Germany in 1987. However, in 1988, he was dropped from the team in a rather bizarre circumstance when he called the national team coach Henri Michel by a derogatory name. However, after the managerial change in the France team, Platini was appointed the new coach and he immediately recalled back Cantona. He was selected for the 1992 Euro Cup but France failed to win any game.

Subsequently, Gerard Houllier took over but France continued in their disappointing ways as Cantona couldn’t help his team qualify for the 1994 World Cup Finals. Cantona was made the captain in a process to re-build the France team but he was removed and suspended following the Selhurst Park incident in January 1995. By the time his suspension was over, he lost his place to a certain Zinedine Zidane. He retired in 1997, a year prior to France’s World Cup triumph in 1998. It is a shame that a man whose name is still sung in the Old Trafford stands failed to achieve big on the international stage.