hard to think in a French character, historical or contemporary, the English have admired. Charles " de Gaulle? Too pompous. "Joan of Arc? Religious fanaticism does not sit well in the islands. "Napoleon? A madman. Yes, yes, there are Victor Hugo and Louis Pasteur Monet and that for people of exquisite culture, such as readers of this newspaper and some other specialist English, are figures worthy of reverence. But we are talking here of people whose fame has penetrated popular culture English and here, again, is hard to find a French by the English who feel anything other than contempt.
The same should be true in reverse. Too many years of wars and bad feeling between the two countries to be able to see virtues of their national heroes. The English do not forgive that in 1066 a Norman Duke crossed the English Channel, won a battle and was crowned king, imposing French as the language of the court for over 300 years. The French, meanwhile, do not forgive the British saved them in World War II.
One exception to the rule, an exception generated by the football, global phenomenon can both unite and divide human beings. We talk about the King Eric Cantona. In its beginnings in England, indeed, French footballer was king only for fans of Manchester United. Well, we own, but with what fervor loved it! Cantona jumped every time the lawn of Old Trafford stadium the stands, a sea of \u200b\u200bFrench flags, exploding to the beat of the Marseillaise. "Cantona, Cantona, Cantona-a Cantona-a, Cantonaaa!" Chanted 50,000 English heretics. The Sun King, whose goal gave the United League in 1993 after more than a quarter century of waiting, eclipsed Beckham, Giggs, Scholes, Keane-all "during his five years at the club.
And with the passage of time was winning the hearts of all England. Today is a national idol. Everything he has done or said since retiring from football has caused headlines in the British press. His appearance in the film Elizabeth, playing the role of the French ambassador, created a furor, and their performance in a famous TV commercials in which he left in the shadow figures of the likes of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, too. Last year one of the filmmakers most renowned in England, Ken Loach, made a movie called Looking for Eric Cantona to in the starring role. And this week the news has been appointed director of football club New York Cosmos did not go unnoticed by any means English. We celebrated the triumph not as a foreigner, but as one of yours.
How do you explain? How did that when he jumped into the crowd one day and gave him a kung-fu kick at a rival fan, one who had fallen into blasphemy to shout the kinds of things that the fans of Atletico Madrid yells at José Mourinho, the national consensus was that he had done well, he had demonstrated impeccable moral criterion? Why now, 14 years after hanging up his boots, the New York Cosmos believe he is the man to restore the luster to its flagging brand? It was, in fact, a player so good. Nothing to do with, say, Zidane, and never was nominated for a Golden Ball So what? Is that the guy has charisma. And the charisma, charisma really is an exceptional quality, rarely seen, as the genius of a musician or an athlete, or a painter, before which we all fall down exhausted. The secret of charisma is to have full consciousness, far beyond the arrogance (always hidden complex) that really are special, they are great and you will be admired by all. And that you do not admire is a jerk. Cantona holds the secret to wealth and that makes it irresistible. Everyone wants to share your light: even the British, knowing that it is French.
