Scholes: Van Gaal signed Rojo as his grandson played FIFA with him | OneFootball

In addition to wearing the jersey of major clubs in the country such as Boca and Racing, playing in two World Cups with the Argentine National Team (he was runner-up in Brazil 2014), and lifting the Copa Libertadores with Estudiantes, Marcos Rojo's career also stands out for his time at Manchester United, which is currently a topic of debate following an unusual revelation involving Louis van Gaal.

Multi-champion, legend, and a highly respected figure at the Red Devils, Paul Scholes recalled the arrival of the central defender in August 2014 through a rather uncommon situation in today’s football, which is dominated by data and full of scouts and analysts. Before receiving the approval of the experienced Dutch coach, Rojo first got the green light from one of Van Gaal’s young relatives.

“Apparently, Louis van Gaal brought in a player he learned about because his grandson played FIFA with him and recommended him: Marcos Rojo, from Argentina,” revealed Scholes on the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football.

The anecdote, as unexpected as it is hilarious, suggests that Rojo’s name came onto United’s radar after Van Gaal’s grandson recommended him, having used him in the popular football video game—something unusual for a club accustomed to thorough analysis before signing any new player.

Beyond that curious story, the truth is that the Argentine defender was coming off an outstanding World Cup with Alejandro Sabella’s team and was already established at Sporting Lisbon. During his time at Old Trafford, he played 122 matches, scored two goals, provided four assists, and won three tournaments (FA Cup 2015-16, EFL Cup 2016-17, and a Europa League) before leaving in 2020.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.