BBC News, West Midlands
MarkA group of teenagers, playing seven-a-side football in Coventry, had a huge surprise when Premier League player James Maddison turned up at their match.
It was “surreal” to see the former Sky Blues star, now a Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, one of the boys said.
Teenager Max, from Eastern Green, told BBC CWR that Maddison was “really nice, down to earth, really humble”.
His dad Mark, added the football star was a “great ambassador” for his home city.
“For him to spend time with my son and his friends, and take time out and help them along and be so kind and gracious, it was just incredible,” he said.
“All the boys are big, huge Coventry City fans – as I am, lifelong fan.”
Max said: “It’s so surreal seeing him in real life.
“He turned up with his own team, and he started coaching the team we were playing – and we got absolutely battered,”
He said the final score was 9-0, but the disappointment of losing had been tempered by the experience of meeting one of his heroes.
ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock“We got a few photos after, he’s a really nice guy to talk to – really nice, down to earth, really humble,” Max added.
BBC Sport reported earlier this month that Maddison was almost certain to miss the final weeks of the season because of injury.
He is expected to take up to three months to recover, leaving him battling to be fit for the start of preparations for the 2025-26 campaign.
