Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney dined with Diego Maradona after their defeat to Real Madrid.

The striker, whose future at Manchester United has been cast in doubt after he was left out of the starting line-up against Real Madrid, admitted he was 'proud' to meet his idol and posted a picture of him with the Argentinian legend on his Facebook page, says the Daily Mail.

Rooney had been sharing a subdued meal with Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville in a Manchester restaurant after United were knocked out by the Spanish giants when he met Maradona.

Rooney, who has described Maradona as the greatest player ever, said: "Maradona is a legend in football and someone I've always looked up to. In my opinion he is the best ever.

"I used to watch videos of him when I was little and he could do everything. He was one of the few players who could win a game on his own.

"His all round game was unbelievable, especially his skill, finishing and the way he created chances. I also liked how feisty he was all the time and you could see how much he wanted to win every game."