Juan Mata’s just a lovely fella, isn’t he?
You may remember the Manchester United playmaker taking time out after a victory over Norwich City in May – a game in which he scored the only goal – to make young disabled fan Alex Nield’s day.
That in itself could be seen as the Spaniard going above and beyond the call of duty, but he went one better this weekend.
While teammates waited for the team bus to take them from Old Trafford to the Lowry on a rare Saturday off, Mata recognised Alex among the assembled supporters and made a beeline for the youngster.
Mata has always conducted himself like a true gentleman on and off the pitch, and this is no exception.
Alex, who suffers from cerebral palsy, follows United home and away and counts Mata among his favourite players, according to an interview his father Jon carried out with ESPNFC last season, though not for the reason one might expect.
“He loved Anderson because he wore eight,” Jon said, adding that Alex is now a fan of any United player who wears that particular number.
United fans will surely be pleased that his rumoured summer move away from Old Trafford never materialised – he sets an example that any of the club’s players would be proud to follow.
