Liam Gallagher reveals Eric Cantona refused any payment for his Once video

10 May 2022, 13:45 | Updated: 10 May 2022, 14:05

The former Oasis rocker has looked back at the time the Manchester United legend appeared in his Once video and insisted on paying for his own flights.

Liam Gallagher has told the epic tale of how Eric Cantona came to appear in his Once video.

The football legend made it no secret how much he liked Gallagher's 2019 solo track and even posted a clip of himself on social media listening to the ballad.

Despite being a life-long Man City fan, Liam reached out to the Frenchman and asked him to appear in his official video and now he's revealed just what went down.

Speaking on The 2 Johnnies Podcast, the former Oasis rocker recalled: "We spoke to him and said, 'Look, how much do you want to be in the video?'

"[He said] 'I do not want no money'. We go, 'We're gonna have to give you summat.' He goes, 'I'll be in the video for nothing'. I go: 'Alright, we'll send you a plane ticket'."

Mimicking Cantona's French accent, he then quoted him saying: "'I will make my own way there. I will get my own hotel'."

The Manchester rocker went on to explain that he even offered to get the former footballer his favourite wine, but he refused and brought his own. If that wasn't legendary enough, Liam revealed he hasn't spoken to him since.

"Anyway, he turns up, did the video, f***ed off man," added Liam. "Never seen him again for nothing. What a geezer... Just because he loved the song. That's what real legends are about.

"I was going, 'What the f***? How much money do you want?' But he didn't want nothing. He didn't want picking up at the airport, he hired his own car, got his own hotel, brought his own food, done the f***ing video and f***ed off!

"Never seen him again. Didn't want nothing. That's what you call a f***ing legend."

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

READ MORE: Liam Gallagher quits alcohol ahead of Knebworth gigs

The iconic video saw Cantona take centre stage in the video, playing the role of The King, as Gallagher plays The Butler/Chauffeur.

The cinematic Charlie Lightening-directed visuals took place in a grand white house and sprawling grounds, which looked rather similar to the late Beatles legend John Lennon's Ascot home.

The tortured and emotional King calls "Our Kid" Liam for wine at his deserted banquet table, before miming songs to Liam's track while walking around his lonely estate and taking time to tinkle on the piano before throwing on a robe and crown.

The end of the video sees the Man City football rival and Man Utd legend Cantona head down his country pile to a Rolls Royce, with the door opened for him by none other than Liam Gallagher.

Liam Gallagher - Once (Official video feat. Eric Cantona)

"I’m absolutely thrilled to have Eric Cantona, the last rock ‘n’ roll footballer, star in my video for Once,” said Liam at the time of the video's release.  “Songs like this don’t come around very often and neither do football players like him."

The collaboration came about as a result Cantona's love of he Why Me? Why Not. album track, which he proved when he shared a video of himself miming and tapping along to the ballad on Instagram.

The video, which began with the Frenchman wearing spotty socks and tapping his foot to the rousing ballad, was captioned: "When two Manchester legends meet. « Once » my song of the year!"

Watch it here:

Eric Cantona sings Liam Gallagher's Once

Gallagher, who was tagged in the post at the time, responded in the comments section, writing: "I always knew you were cool c’mon you know LG x".

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