He needs no introduction. As one of the most iconic players of all time, Eric Cantona has developed a legendary, even mysterious persona throughout the world of soccer. On the pitch, Eric was capable of anything at any moment. Off the pitch, his passion for art and philosophy as well as his unique approach to the game made him one of the revered personalities in all of sports. The New York Cosmos chatted with Eric in a café about topics ranging from his rekindled love for the game to his favorite contemporary artists to his vigor behind reviving the Cosmos. This is the Eric Cantona we are so proud to have as our Director of Soccer.

The New York Cosmos: Thank you for coming and talking to The Cosmos. We want to let you know that Cosmos Country loves and respects you for what you've done on the pitch. But we are interested in getting to know our Director of Soccer. We wanted to get to know you off the pitch.

Many have considered you an artist on the pitch. Do you consider football to be an art?

Eric Cantona: Of Course.

NYC: Did you approach the game as an artist?

Cantona: Art is all about creating. It's all about work, skill and salvation. As footballers, we did the same. You have to work, but you have to be skilled enough to do what you really want to do. The world expects and people need you to create. Football is the same. It's a kind of expression. It’s an art.

NYC: What do you believe was your most artistic moment on the pitch? Did you have one stand out moment?

Cantona: All things we created were artistic.

NYC: We have a soft spot for your goal against Sunderland. That chip. Why did you celebrate that goal that way?

Cantona: Why? Just because I felt like it. I never thought before a game, “If I score a goal, I will react like this.” I never reacted the same way. I'm not the kind of player who puts something on a T-shirt under their jersey. And when they score a goal, they show it to everyone. It's a great feeling scoring a goal. And it depends if it’s an important goal, it depends on the pressure before the game, it depends on how the fans react.

NYC: What inspires you creatively off the pitch? What kind of art inspires you?

Cantona: The kind of art that makes you think, debate, ask questions, and work on your imagination. Like contemporary art. Some people think it's like nothing. Sometimes it can be beautiful. It's even more beautiful if it opens the imagination of the people. You ask a question or you like a color or a pattern and it opens up your mind. Yeah, that's just the kind of art that I prefer.

NYC: What artists inspire you the most? Is there a visual artist or a director or a musician that inspired you the most?

Cantona: All people who do things that are a sort of provocation. But not just provocation. Real provocation because the people are clever enough to anticipate. Artists who have a kind of irony about the world we live in. Because my point of view is a bit separate. Artists help you to think about all the things we have around, from the media, TV, people on the media, so we can play with it and help people to understand that it's not too serious and it's just nothing. Artists like Damien Hirst who say "It’s all a big game." 

NYC: We all know that you act in films. Do you have any favorite types of films?

Cantona: I like when the light is wonderful and the story is good and everything is mixed, everything is balanced. It's like a painting with the balance between things and the lines, everything is important. The way the people act, the way directors direct people. And of course, the story and the message.

NYC: Do you have any favorite films about New York City?

Cantona: Taxi Driver.

NYC: Is it true that you like jazz?

Cantona: I like it. I like different styles of music. Before we spoke about the way we like football. Music is the same. Sometimes I like to listen to classical music. I like to listen to jazz. I like to listen to rock, pop or blues. What I don't like is when I feel like it's made too much for marketing, money, and things like that. I like the music when I think the people are very honest and creative.

NYC: Did you ever listen to music before playing in matches?

Cantona: No.

NYC: Never? Now, the players all have headphones.

Cantona: Yeah. I heard that the music helps the circulation of blood. It's a good thing. You are in better health. But no, I never listened to music before matches. Why? I don't know. I think it's important only if everybody listened to the same music, because it's important to communicate during a game. It's important to have energy between people. People listen to music and they sit on their own. I think it's good for sport when athletes are athletes. But when you play a team game, it's important to communicate and be ready to listen. So if we all listen to same music, it can help.

NYC: We were talking about music being like football and being creative. If a football team was a band, what instrument would you have played?

Cantona: I like trumpet when it's played softly. Like Miles Davis or Chet Baker. But I cannot play the trumpet; I play it badly. It's better then to listen, you know. But yeah, this kind of musician, the way they play trumpet is wonderful.

NYC: Have you gone to see any jazz or music in New York City since you've been here?

Cantona: Yeah, I’ve been.

NYC: Where did you go?

Cantona: I tried to remember last night, the name of the club we went last time because it was wonderful. And I couldn't remember.

But I had a very good time. And it was the kind of people that played piano and trumpet with a lot of soul. It's different if you go and you really listen to the music and you are in connection with the musicians, if they are good, it's a great feeling.

NYC : What museums have you visited in New York City?

Cantona: Every time I come here I go to the MOMA. Two or three years ago, my wife and I went to Dia in Beacon. Which is wonderful. It's a wonderful place. You take a train for an hour and a half and then you arrive there. Nobody knows it. You ask the people and they don't know there is a museum there. The architecture, it's very contemporary. And inside it's wonderful. Wonderful. And I have been to the PS1. I like contemporary museums.

NYC: What are your favorite visual artists?

Cantona: There is a French artist, Damien Deroubaix, who lives in Berlin, who is a great artist. He's young. He's 35. There is another one, Ronan Barrot, who is a French painter.

NYC: What are some other places that have inspired you in New York City?

Cantona: In New York, every time I come here, I feel very strong. I can walk all day, and walk all night. But I don't know why. I just feel it. And I don't really want to know why. I think it's a mistake to know every time why you love with something. I think when you understand why you love it, you don't love it anymore. Yeah, to analyze everything, that feeling just leaves. So I don't want to know why. Because I hope that it would be the same forever, that I'll have the same feeling forever.

NYC: How do you feel that the Cosmos represent New York City? Do you feel a connection between the two?

Cantona: Of course. That's why I'm here. That's why I accepted the position to come here. Like it was inevitable for me. The New York Cosmos, New York, and me. I speak again about love. When you meet somebody, you can feel like it will be “the one.” I know it’s a strong project, but the first thing I felt was that this is inevitable. Since I first met Paul [Kemsley] and Terry [Byrne] and we spoke about the project, I felt it was inevitable.

NYC: How was your visit to the Cosmos Academies?

Cantona: Today I went to see the game, yeah. I have seen the under 12s. And we start to -- we start slowly. From the youngest player on the team, we tell them to play the style we want to play.

NYC: At what age do you think you need to teach a player at for him to fully understand a system? Is it eight? Can you do it at 14? Can you do it at 15?

Cantona: I think it's a different strategy when they are young, let them play, enjoy. I hope that we let them enjoy their time playing. You could teach them too soon, but then you lose the pleasure, the enjoyment. It’s a balance. I think between 10 and 12 you can teach a few things, but they are still young. They want to enjoy it.

But it's important to try to teach them a few things, slowly. I saw a good game this morning. Very good game. And yeah, we have very strong academies in New York and in LA. They have worked very well together for two years now. And it's great to see.  I could stay all day watching this kind of thing. Everything is front of them, you know. Too many things are behind me. So it is important that they do just realize that they are very lucky.

NYC: How are we teaching the sport to our kids? Do you want us to be different than other clubs?

Cantona: We want to teach it our way. How do we want to play? Which kind of player do we need to play this kind of game? Me, I want players, and it's important when you choose a player from five. The most important thing is their vision in the game. Very open and very clever and you feel that they are creating. Not selfish.

After you have chosen the right player, you can teach anything, but once you have chosen the wrong player, you're wrong. You may be successful, but not as much as if you don't choose the right ones. So it's very important with the young players we choose. Choose the right one, and after that, we can teach.

We want to develop this style and philosophy of the game. After that we want the kids to play for the first team in the same style. It will not be different between the first team and the youngest age. Sometimes you have a generation, a better generation than others, and you are more successful. Probably like Ajax in Amsterdam. Sometimes they have a generation of players that are very successful. But they work on young players very well. They have their own view on the game. But there is always a generation. That's why they won so many things. The difference between them and Barcelona, is Ajax cannot keep their players. They are not rich enough. When they have a great generation, they win one or two championships, and then they cannot keep their players. So they go elsewhere.

With Barcelona they work very hard on young players, and very well. And they have the money to keep them. That's why Xavi has played for Barcelona for 15 years. And they all stay in Barcelona. When are you in Barcelona, you don't go anywhere else. If you have the money to keep the players, you can be successful for years.

NYC: Do you still love football?

Cantona: I still love it. I came back. Now, I re-open everything. And it's great. It's great because it's new for me. I'm in a position where I can be with the other people, the other coaches, the other clubs, everything. We are like a painter in front of a canvas or a writer in front of white page. It's very exciting.

NYC: What bothers you about modern football? Is there any one thing you want to change or get rid of?

Cantona: What do I want to change? We want to change everything. 'Cause we're going to create our own style. So I want to change everything.

Eric Cantona will manage The New York Cosmos against Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 5th, 2011 for the testimonial of Paul Scholes. The match will be shown exclusively in the United States on Fox Soccer at 2:30 PM ET and the Cosmos will be hosting a viewing party in New York City at the Football Factory at Legends bar on 6 West 33rd. Street, New York, NY 10001.