Manchester United players Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui have formed a strong friendship through their shared interest in fishing.
The two footballers made an unexpected visit to a fishing tackle shop last week, still wearing their training kits.
Dutch striker Zirkzee, 23, and Moroccan defender Mazraoui, 27, spent about an hour at Trafford Tackle & Bait in Stretford, not far from Old Trafford.
Shop owner Jeff Smith mentioned that he initially didn`t recognize them, but local children buying sweets nearby identified them.
Jeff, 48, told : “They were really nice. They were in tracksuits, but since I don’t follow United players closely, I assumed they were from the academy.
“They asked many questions about local fishing spots and the appropriate gear to use.
"They were interested in purchasing rods and reels and picked up some live maggots for bait.”
The two Manchester United players also happily took photos with the delighted schoolchildren.
One mother commented: “They were both very kind. Some children asked for pictures, and they were very willing and friendly.”
Mazraoui had previously spoken about how fishing helped him relax during his time at Bayern Munich.
Other football players who enjoy fishing include Manchester City`s Phil Foden, who bought a house with a lake to teach his son Ronnie fishing. Former England goalkeeper David Seaman once took Paul Gascoigne fishing at Euro 96 to help him relax. Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham have also been known to fish.
