MEET the Manchester United star who might have become the world’s best player – except for an eating habit that saw him leap up yelling “McDonald’s, McDonald’s” whenever he saw the fast-food giant.
Rafael de Silva claims “crazy” Anderson could have been the GOAT – were it not for that one incredible beef about his behaviour.
Midfielder Anderson won the Champions League and four Premier League titles while at Old Trafford from 2007-2015.
But former team-mate Rafael reckons his fellow Brazilian’s craving for junk food stopped him rivalling United legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.
Anderson, now 36, was rated one of the world’s most exciting prospects when he arrived at United from Porto for around £20million.
But amid injury problems and fitness issues he ended up with only eight caps, all from 2007-08.
And after leaving the Red Devils, his career subsided with Brazilian club Internacional and Turks Adana Demirspor, before he quit playing in 2002.
In a joint autobiography with twin brother Fabio, Rafael explained the extraordinary problem he believes denied Anderson a place at the very top table of football.
And he insisted that his countryman matched anyone in the Prem – whenever matches came thick and faster than his food.
Rafael said: “We could be on the team coach and pass the services on the motorway and Anderson would jump up impulsively and yell ‘McDonald’s, McDonald’s’.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
“The guy was crazy, but I love him. Give him a football and he would just play with freedom.
“And sometimes, if he got a good run of games, he could play as well as any player in the league.
“He picked up a lot of big injuries and then his problems with eating the way he did started to affect him.
“It was no coincidence that his best form came when he had a lot of games because that was when he couldn’t eat so much.
“I will say something about Anderson – if he had been a professional football player, he could have been the best in the world.”
