Alan Shearer says Eric Cantona, who has been confirmed as a Premier League Hall of Fame inductee alongside him, was a maverick and an icon who deserves the accolade.
Shearer, the competition's all-time record goalscorer, was one of the inaugural Hall of Fame inductees alongside Thierry Henry.
Cantona is one of six players from a 23-man shortlist who have received the most combined votes from fans and the Premier League panel, and who will now join the inaugural inductees in the Hall of Fame.
Shearer believes Cantona was a catalyst for Manchester United's dominance in the 1990s.
"What a maverick," Shearer said in the Hall of Fame Show. "He was arrogant in a good way, and when you've got his ability, you're more than entitled to be arrogant.
"His players looked up to him. Big moments in big games. He was just iconic because of what he could do with the football."
'He made us dream'
For Henry, Cantona's time in the Premier League was inspirational and helped pave the way for French players like himself to succeed in the competition.
"He was trying stuff that some people wouldn't dare try, but he could do it, and he was looking at you like, 'Yeah, I've done it', and walks off like nothing happened," Henry said.
"Playing for Man Utd, scoring goals against Liverpool, winning the [FA] Cup. That was something that I wasn't even thinking about.
"He made it possible for us. He made us dream."
Announcements of inductees
Part 1: Cantona inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame
Part 2: Cantona: The others are great, I am exceptional!
