Happy birthday Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand received a birthday surprise he will not forget in a hurry when his boyhood hero Diego Maradona visited Manchester United's training ground and presented him with a signed shirt.

"To be able to shake his hand, get a cuddle of him and a picture, it made my birthday," said the defender, who turned 30 last Friday.

Ferdinand collected videos of Maradona while growing up and was not alone in being awestruck by Argentina's new coach.

"We were like schoolkids around a star coming to school," he said. "He came and watched us train and I think the gaffer would probably like him to come every day the way he raised standards in training. Everyone was trying to impress him. I hope he will go back to Argentina and say he's seen a great player - Rio Ferdinand."

That was tongue in cheek but there was a serious purpose to Maradona's visit. He met United's Argentina striker Carlos Tevez and went to Liverpool to see Javier Mascherano. Guardian

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