Reaction to "OGFC" is hot in the U.K.
The Manchester United legends team "OGFC" lost 0-1 on the 19th (Korean time) in a friendly against the Suwon Samsung legends team at Suwon World Cup Stadium.
Although this match was the first stage for OGFC, a newly founded independent team launched by legends who led the Premier League golden era together with "Shoot For Love," including Park Ji-sung, it ended in a disappointing defeat with a total of 38,027 spectators in attendance.
OGFC is a team made up of players who wore the Manchester United uniform and roamed Old Trafford in their playing days, including Park Ji-sung, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, and Patrice Evra. They launched with the goal of breaking the highest career win rate of 73%. In addition to the star-studded roster, Eric Cantona took the helm and Michael Phelan joined as a coach.
The U.K. tabloid The Sun reported on the 20th that Manchester United has reclaimed what it had long lost: its "aura."
That day the United legends team was made up only of players who played during Sir Alex Ferguson's era. Ferguson did not visit Korea, but instead "King" Eric Cantona took on the managerial role. The head coach was Mike Phelan.
The most striking moment came just before the start of the match. As cold smoke filled the tunnel, Cantona led the players out to the pitch at the front. It was cinematic. Fans at Suwon World Cup Stadium were instantly transported back to Manchester United's heyday in the 1990s and 2000s.
Following Cantona were Park Ji-sung, Patrice Evra, Edwin van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Louis Saha, Nemanja Vidić, Antonio Valencia and others, appearing one after another. These were names that once dominated Europe.
Ferdinand posted footage from that time on his social media. The Sun said U.K. fans reacted explosively, reporting the local reaction in Britain.
According to reports, one fan wrote, "A sacred aura." Another fan said, "With this team, they would easily finish in the top 10 of Serie A." Reactions continued: "They are stronger than Chelsea now," and "Even Real Madrid couldn't assemble the original Galácticos all at once to create this kind of atmosphere."
Praise poured in especially for Cantona. The Sun said, "The 59-year-old Cantona was still Manchester United itself. In the brief moment he walked out onto the pitch, fans recalled a presence and confidence that are hard to find in today's United."
In reality, the match did not go as hoped. The United legends team lost 0-1 to the Suwon Samsung legends team. Judged by the result alone, it was a disappointing game.
Of course, no one spoke of defeat. At Suwon World Cup Stadium that day there was something more important than the score. The Manchester United of the fans' memories—the strongest era—returned for a moment.
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