--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Eric Cantona used to stare at the…" description: "\"Eric Cantona used to stare at the goalkeeper when taking penalties. He'd wait for his opponent's knee to give away in the direction he was going, then ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/chris-sutton-5707_amazing_eric-cantona-used-to-stare-at-the-goalke_774236.jpg" --- # Eric Cantona used to stare at the goalkeeper when taking… ![“Eric Cantona used to stare at the goalkeeper when taking penalties. He'd wait for his opponent's knee to give away in the direction he was going, then duly stick the ball in the other side. It's an amazing skill to have and one Ivan Toney has very much mastered.” quote by Chris Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/chris-sutton-5707_amazing_eric-cantona-used-to-stare-at-the-goalke_774236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/chris-sutton-5707_amazing_eric-cantona-used-to-stare-at-the-goalke_774236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aae/chris-sutton-5707_amazing_eric-cantona-used-to-stare-at-the-goalke_774236.jpg) > “Eric Cantona used to stare at the goalkeeper when taking penalties. He'd wait for his opponent's knee to give away in the direction he was going, then duly stick the ball in the other side. It's an amazing skill to have and one Ivan Toney has very much mastered.” [Chris Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sutton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The description details a penalty‑taking technique that reads an opponent’s body language, emphasizing anticipation and precision in high‑pressure sports moments. **In simple terms:** Reading opponent’s cues can guide penalty shots. Key Takeaway Use body language cues in sport. Themes sports strategy psychology Mood analytical strategic Type tactical motivational When to use this quote - football penalty practice - coach training - player analysis Key Concepts anticipation kinesthetic awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you train to notice subtle cues? - What other sports use similar anticipation? A Different Perspective Relies on observable cues; not always reliable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amazing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing/) [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Skill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skill/) ## Related quotes > [ Someone came up to me and told me that \[his opponent's\] knee was hurt, and he said to me, attack his knee, I'm like,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-diaz/someone-came-up-to-me-and-told-me-that-his-opponent-s-knee-was-hurt/) [Nick Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-diaz/) > [Premier League players have always been heroes to youngsters. They will mimic their movements, copy their celebrations, pop their collar up like Eric Cantona…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sutton/premier-league-players-have-always-been-heroes-to-youngsters-they/) [Chris Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sutton/) > [I remember seeing Eric Cantona play for Manchester United. The way he used to control games was special to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronaldinho/i-remember-seeing-eric-cantona-play-for-manchester-united-the-way-he/) [Ronaldinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronaldinho/) > [In my years at United, I witnessed some signings who, over their careers, transformed the fortunes of the team. From Eric Cantona, when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/in-my-years-at-united-i-witnessed-some-signings-who-over-their/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [He was a quiet man, Eric Cantona, but he was a man of few words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/he-was-a-quiet-man-eric-cantona-but-he-was-a-man-of-few-words/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [I think about the great players with whom I have shared a pitch: Eric Cantona, Zinedine Zidane, Pirlo, Xavi, Cristiano Ronaldo - and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/i-think-about-the-great-players-with-whom-i-have-shared-a-pitch-eric/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [Eric Cantona is a great player, but he's not as good as Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-cruijff/eric-cantona-is-a-great-player-but-he-s-not-as-good-as-ryan-giggs/) [Johan Cruijff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-cruijff/) > [You can't save from a brilliant penalty taker and Eric Cantona was the best. His technique was so good it was a joke. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/you-can-t-save-from-a-brilliant-penalty-taker-and-eric-cantona-was/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) > [Eric Cantona is a giggler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-loach/eric-cantona-is-a-giggler/) [Ken Loach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-loach/) > [The magistrate who originally sentenced Eric Cantona to prison said that millions of young people saw him as a role model and tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enfield/the-magistrate-who-originally-sentenced-eric-cantona-to-prison-said/) [Harry Enfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enfield/) > [When I was a kid and my dad was playing for Man United, I used to stand behind the goal watching Eric Cantona, David…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasper-schmeichel/when-i-was-a-kid-and-my-dad-was-playing-for-man-united-i-used-to/) [Kasper Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasper-schmeichel/) > [Watching people like my dad, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Eric Cantona every day in training was incredible. I saw how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasper-schmeichel/watching-people-like-my-dad-paul-scholes-ryan-giggs-david-beckham-and/) [Kasper Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasper-schmeichel/) > [If a defender has the ball and turns, we start pressing the goalkeeper before he passes back because if they make a mistake, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demba-ba/if-a-defender-has-the-ball-and-turns-we-start-pressing-the-goalkeeper/) [Demba Ba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demba-ba/) > [Top of my wishlist is to play for a club that wants me to be their goalkeeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/top-of-my-wishlist-is-to-play-for-a-club-that-wants-me-to-be-their/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [I can play in any position except goalkeeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/i-can-play-in-any-position-except-goalkeeper/) [Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/) ## More by Chris Sutton > [The last goal I ever scored in professional football was at Goodison Park - a glancing header for Aston Villa in a 1-0 win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sutton/the-last-goal-i-ever-scored-in-professional-football-was-at-goodison/) [Chris Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sutton/) > [I know I played with head injuries. 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