Antony reveals his Manchester United nightmare after ‘hitting rock bottom’ and losing hope before his transformative form on loan at Real Betis led to a Brazil national team recall

Antony recently shared his thoughts on being recalled to the Brazil national team after a challenging period at Manchester United. The forward faced difficulties integrating with the team under Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, ultimately leading to a loan to Real Betis in January. His time at United was marked by limited success, with just 17 contributions in 96 matches.

At Real Betis, Antony experienced a remarkable turnaround, becoming a key player in the latter part of the season. Over just five months, he contributed 14 times in 26 games. This impressive performance earned him a return to Brazil’s national squad, where he openly discussed his struggles this season.

Reflecting on his journey, Antony described his emotional return to the squad, saying, “It was even more emotional, because of everything that I have been through.” He acknowledged the role of his family and faith in helping him persevere through tough times, despite reaching “rock bottom.”

Despite feeling hopeless, Antony found strength in his past achievements, reminding himself, “I have not forgotten how to play football, I did not play in a World Cup for nothing, I did not make it to the national team for nothing.” This perspective helped him understand the necessity of his struggles for personal growth.

Amid speculation about his future at Manchester United, where he joined for £86 million, Antony’s performance has not met expectations. The transfer has been criticized, with claims that Ten Hag and his agency co-founder Kees Vos opposed the move, arguing it was driven by the club’s desire to outmaneuver Arsenal.

Vos revealed in a new book, “Ten Hag and Vos were not in favour of this and wanted to stop the transfer,” noting that the club insisted on proceeding due to competition concerns. Ultimately, United spent nearly 100 million euros for Antony, a decision that has lingered over Ten Hag’s tenure.