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What's the story?
Two years before Zinedine Zidane went on to global superstardom as he lifted France to World Cup glory, the enigmatic Frenchman was just preparing to leave the environs of Bordeaux - his second major club where he spent four years appearing in 139 games and scoring 28 times.
It was around this time that Manchester United rejected the chance to sign the 24-year-old just as he was about to hit his peak.
Martin Edwards, former chairman of Manchester United, revealed the reason behind this strange decision whilst in conversation with BBC Radio 5 Live - and that reason was the man who wore no. 7 at United at that time - one Eric Cantona.
"Zidane and Eric played in the same position and Alex felt if they brought Zidane in it would have upset Eric. In hindsight yes [it's a regret], because Eric retired a year later and Zidane was younger so he would have continued it."
In case you didn't know
Zidane, of course, went on to sign for Juventus and won two league titles, an Italian Cup and an Intertoto Cup in five years with the Bianconeri. He went from Bordeaux to Juventus for the princely sum of €3.5 million. Imagine that! Zinedine Zidane for €3.5 million. Phew!
He would go on to join Real Madrid as their biggest Galactico - and the most expensive footballer of all time till a certain Cristiano Ronaldo popped up at the Bernabeu.
The heart of the matter
Sir Alex Ferguson decided not to break up a winning formula for the immense talent and promise of the young midfield maestro simply because he didn't know about Cantona's plans... and well, truth be told, it's not like the decision cost United all that many titles, is it?
Video
Here's a compilation of what Fergie would have seen at the time:
Damn! Even then Zizou looked so majestic, didn't he?
Author's Take
Sure, the decision looks fairly stupid in retrospect, but at the time it made perfect sense for Ferguson. As Edwards explained, Cantona's decision to retire came entirely out of the blue and the legendary Frenchman was still at the height of his considerable powers - conducting the show beautifully for the Old Trafford orchestra. His ego was also famous, and Ferguson probably saw no reason to risk alienating his biggest player for another who for all the promise and potential he showed at Bordeaux and France in those early days was merely just that - promise.
No one could possibly fault Ferguson for choosing the King over a potential princeling.
Besides, who knows what would have happened after that - and whether or not that great midfield of David Beckham - Roy Keane - Paul Scholes - Ryan Giggs; that magical quartet may never have hit the heights they so spectacularly did in the late 90's and early '00s
