Rio Ferdinand has revealed he was left awestruck after Diego Maradona visited the Man Utd dressing room. The Argentinian legend was there to visit Carlos Tevez and gave Rio Ferdinand a 30th birthday gift, a signed Manchester United shirt.

Ferdinand was left completely in shock by the incident, as players queued to get a chat with the Argentinian legend.

"We were like schoolkids around a star coming to school," said Ferdinand. "In my eyes he is the best footballer ever. He is one of my heroes, if not the shining beacon when I was a kid. I had all his videos. He was the player everyone wanted to be.

"He has been the best. He was my idol and part of the reason why I started to play football. I can't hold him in higher esteem than that. To be able to shake his hand, get a cuddle off him and a picture, it made my birthday."