The former Manchester United star proposed international legislation requiring leaders who declare war to be the first to fight on the front line
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Football legend Eric Cantona has suggested that Presidents should be forced to go to war if they start a conflict instead of "sending 18-year-olds."
The former France and Manchester United star said he wanted to discourage wars by directly holding political leaders accountable for the wars they launch.
Cantona, 59, was appearing on a French TV talk show Clique, when he was asked for his opinion on rising global conflicts and their human cost.
He told the host that he would like to "ask an international court for an international law that would say if a President decides to start a war, he should be the first at the front instead of sending 18-year-olds".
"And then, I think there would be fewer wars,” he added.
Eric Cantona:
❝I would love to create a law that says if a president decides to go to war, they should be the first one sent to the front line.❞ pic.twitter.com/yjAz2zqGQc— Antifa_Ultras (@ultras_antifaa) March 11, 2026
During the interview, Cantona said political leaders should not make decisions about war while remaining far from the battlefield.
“They’re all in offices that are 25 meters long, and then we send 18-year-olds to die, from their own home, often from the oppressor. But on the other side, they’re not even 18 yet. They’re 3 and 2 years old. Innocents, civilians.”
Cantona is well known for his outspoken, firm anti-fascist and anti-war stance. He frequently uses Instagram to challenge what he views as 'double standards' in global governance.
In September 2025, he questioned why FIFA and UEFA were quick to suspend Russia but had not taken equivalent action against Israel.