Patrice Evra may have called time on a glittering career in football but his star will surely continue to rise on social media.
The Frenchman and former Manchester United left back announced his retirement on Monday, but has become a sensation on Instagram and Twitter in recent years thanks to his entertaining, inspiring and most often bizarre posts.
Here are some of the 38-year-old’s most weird and wonderful moments.
Kissing a raw bird
In 2018 a clip apparently posted to mark Thanksgiving saw Evra become closely acquainted with raw poultry.
In the video posted to Instagram he was seen provocatively slapping, kissing and nibbling the bird – though whether it was a chicken or a turkey was not clear. Either way, imitation is not advised.
The video finishes with Evra declaring “I love this game” – a statement which has become his catchphrase and will be the title of his upcoming autobiography.
Evra becomes a meme
After Evra adopted a striking celebration during France’s Euro 2016 victory over Ireland, internet users had some fun with Photoshop – and Evra embraced it wholeheartedly.
France would go on to lose to Portugal in the final of the tournament, but Evra could at least celebrate some early success on social media.
Dancing panda
One of Evra’s great loves is no doubt music and one of the ways he expresses this joy is through dancing – perhaps most memorably doing so by donning a panda costume and showing off his moves to Desiigner’s hit, Panda.
Accompanying the 2016 post, Evra wrote: “I’m black, white, Asian and chubby… SAY NO TO RACISM… after this video you can’t be racist.”
Singing Let’s Get It On with Paul Pogba
Of course, Evra’s other favourite way to show his musical passion is through singing, and this clip of himself and fellow Frenchman Paul Pogba singing along to some Marvin Gaye.
Helping Marseille homeless
In 2017 Evra helped to highlight the levels of homelessness in Marseille, where he was playing at the time, by sharing food with rough sleepers.
“The sad part of my journey it’s I found more than 12 homeless people in less than 30 minutes,” Evra wrote on Instagram.
Evra and Pogba celebrate United’s unlikely victory
😀😀😀 @ManUtd @paulpogba #ILoveThisGame #UCL pic.twitter.com/CHvzCTWUeI
— Patrice Evra (@Evra) March 6, 2019
In March 2019 the Red Devils staged a dramatic Champions League victory over Paris St Germain, winning 3-1 at Le Parc des Princes to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s finest moment so far as manager.
Watching from the stands were friends Evra and Pogba, both of United and France, who showed no remorse for their French compatriots PSG with perhaps the most passionate display in the stands that night.
