Eric Cantona is now a travel agent

Eric Cantona, an undisputed idol of Manchester United fans, went down in history – among other things – for a flying kick aimed at a Crystal Palace fan, which cost him a nine-month suspension and 120 hours of community service. An icon of style for his aristocratic way of playing football with the collar of his number 7 shirt always turned up, enigmatic and contrary in his statements, author of the decisive goal in the iconic Nike commercial from the mid-90s, Good vs Evil, where a team of the best Nike players of the time faced a team of demons inside the Colosseum to save humanity from the darkness. Well, that same Eric Cantona is now a travel agent. A somewhat forced expression, but not so far from the reality of the facts, since the former French footballer is the main figure of Looking FC, a project created by Cantona himself that offers a match experience that goes beyond the game itself: travel packages that include stays in luxury hotels, activities with football legends, as well as going to the stadium with these legends to watch big matches.

For example, in one of the latest packages offered by Looking FC, about thirty people were able to visit Manchester, accompanied by Cantona, in a series of activities before heading to Old Trafford to watch the derby against Manchester City alongside King Eric. A unique experience based on a specific formula: exciting the desires of the most passionate fans with the promise of watching major matches live accompanied by former football players, who most likely played for the fan’s beloved team. For this reason, Cantona's operation in Manchester has been replicated in Italy with Marco Materazzi in Milan, in England with Emmanuel Petit in London, and in France with Javier Pastore in Paris. Success is guaranteed because, as the motto of Looking FC states, these are trips where the guide is a football legend.

Looking FC is obviously not the only entity in this sector; it is probably the most famous thanks to the presence of a testimonial like Eric Cantona and the most functional thanks to the network of Seek Dharma, a travel agency founded in 2020 by Charaf El Mansouri after a trip to South Korea to taste the cuisine of a remote temple featured in an episode of Chef's Table on Netflix. During that trip, El Mansouri met others who shared his curiosity to discover the culinary skills of the Buddhist monk Jeong Kwan. From there, the idea emerged to create a company that could offer such travel experiences, more akin to pilgrimages to places of worship (sports, arts, culinary) than actual vacations. This idea has also been taken up in football by Champions Travel and SportBreaks. Every sport is carving out its own niche in this evolving market. This is because there is an ever-growing desire among fans to experience unique moments, going beyond the event itself and making those moments truly unforgettable.

The growth of this trend clearly shows a greater need from football fans, who are increasingly searching for forms of entertainment, gimmicks that allow them to experience something in a unique way: going to the stadium cannot and should not be something boring. In fact, it is almost frightening to think that going to the stadium to watch a match could become a boring experience. Eric Cantona seems genuinely terrified by this possibility, and in fact, in addition to continuing his post-football career as a travel agent, he has also become co-chairman of FC United of Manchester, a club democratically managed by the fans; a form of community ownership, with members able to vote on all major decisions, such as electing the board, ticket prices, and the design of the matchday shirts.