Wayne Rooney once experienced a moment that perfectly captured the mystique and unpredictability of football legend Diego Maradona — a brief encounter that ended with the Argentine icon removing his own tie and handing it to the Manchester United striker as a keepsake.
The unusual exchange took place in 2013 at a Manchester restaurant following a Champions League night. Rooney was dining after the match when Maradona approached his table, spoke briefly, and then, in a spontaneous gesture, took off his dark-blue tie and presented it to the England forward.
The moment lasted only seconds, but it left a lasting impression. While shirt exchanges are customary in football, receiving a tie straight from Maradona’s neck was anything but ordinary.
For Rooney, the encounter carried deep personal significance. Maradona had long been one of his football idols, making the meeting both surreal and meaningful. The unexpected gift transformed a routine post-match evening into a story he would remember for years.
The timing of the moment also added a bittersweet layer. It came after a tense night for Manchester United, meaning the unusual souvenir became tied to the emotional weight of the occasion as well as the thrill of meeting one of the sport’s greatest figures.
Rooney later described the interaction as strange yet unforgettable — a snapshot of Maradona’s eccentric personality and his spontaneous warmth toward fellow footballers.
