Eric Cantona has explained the cryptic speech he gave at the UEFA Champions League draw in Monaco at the end of August.

The former France international and Manchester United icon said the basis of his acceptance speech for the 2019 UEFA President’s Award was a line from William Shakespeare’s King Lear, which Cantona attributed to British artist Francis Bacon.

The full quote reads: “As flies to wanton boys are we to the Gods. They kill us for their sport.”

The 53-year-old Cantona went on to say in his speech that science will soon find a way to stop ageing and death.