'A lot of Man Utd fans in Nigeria' - Red Devils alum Herrera reveals Nigerians are true lovers of football

Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has noted that many Manchester United fans in Nigeria still send him messages, even after his departure from Old Trafford in 2019.

The Spain international has praised Nigerians for their passion for the beautiful game, saying they appreciate football.

Ander Herrera is now on the books of hometown club Athletic Bilbao, whom he joined from Paris Saint-Germain in a permanent deal in January 2023.

During his time with the Red Devils, the 35-year-old appeared in 189 matches, scoring 20 goals while producing 27 assists, winning the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Europa League and Community Shield.

Herrera arrived at Manchester United, signing a five-year deal in 2014, having previously worn the colours of Real Zaragoza in his native Spain.

The Bilbao native has played alongside world-class players such as Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Neymar, but he has emphasized that Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning captain is the greatest footballer he has ever played with.

In an interview with SportyTV, he said: "Always Messi, I had the opportunity to play with him in Paris Saint-Germain for one year. 

"It was amazing, in my opinion the best player in the history of football and I think in Nigeria you appreciate football as well as I do. You have to recognize Messi is different.

"Of course, there are some amazing players that I have played with like Ibrahimovic, Rooney, Neymar, Mbappe, Sergio Ramos, players that will be remembered forever in the history of football but Messi for me is the top of the top."

He concluded by saying: "Thank you very much to all my fans in Nigeria. I always receive a lot of messages from United fans in Nigeria. A lot of Manchester United fans there."

Former Super Eagles forward Odion Ighalo became the first Nigerian-born player to play for Manchester United when he made his debut against Chelsea in February 2020.

Habeeb Ogunneye and Victor Musa play for Manchester United academy teams. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: manutd.com

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