Chinese president Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United Kingdom is in to its final day, but the Manchester United fan may not have been delighted with today’s itinerary.
He was taken around Manchester City’s Etihad campus by David Cameron for one of the final stops on his four day trip.
Xi is a Manchester United obsessive but he managed to grin and bear it, just about, as he met Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Patrick Vieira and Sun Jihai just four miles away from the Theatre of Dreams.
Their time with Head of the Elite Development Squad Vieira saw Cameron and Xi learn all about the principles of defensive transitions and attacking organisation, doubtless vital principles that will serve them well in the stormy waters of global politics.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Next, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/OfficialVieira" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/OfficialVieira" data-vars-event-id="c23">@OfficialVieira</a> talks President Xi & <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/David_Cameron" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/David_Cameron" data-vars-event-id="c23">@David_Cameron</a> through our key footballing principles <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#CFAStateVisit</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/puTmOXh5qb" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://t.co/puTmOXh5qb" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/puTmOXh5qb</a> — Manchester City FC (@MCFC) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657499458591178752" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657499458591178752" data-vars-event-id="c23">October 23, 2015</a>
The visit also included in a meeting with Sergio Aguero and Manchester City WFC star Toni Duggan, in which Cameron asked the former: “Sergio, how many times have you watched that goal?”
China State visit to Manchester City
Aguero then nabbed a selfie with two of the world’s most influential political leaders, as the British prime minister had to desperately squeeze in over his left shoulder just to get in shot.
<blockquote class="twitter-video" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">President Xi and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/David_Cameron" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/David_Cameron" data-vars-event-id="c23">@David_Cameron</a> are welcomed to the Academy Stadium, home to City EDS and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MCWFC" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/MCWFC" data-vars-event-id="c23">@MCWFC</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#CFAStateVisit</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/jR2SDxDVtv" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://t.co/jR2SDxDVtv" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/jR2SDxDVtv</a> — Manchester City FC (@MCFC) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657505343275192320" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657505343275192320" data-vars-event-id="c23">October 23, 2015</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="zh">.<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/aguerosergiokun" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/aguerosergiokun" data-vars-event-id="c23">@aguerosergiokun</a>: "Thank you for the selfie, President Xi" 感谢能与您自拍，习主席！<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#CFAStateVisit</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/4du2zIaacY" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://t.co/4du2zIaacY" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/4du2zIaacY</a> — Manchester City FC (@MCFC) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657520042184175616" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657520042184175616" data-vars-event-id="c23">October 23, 2015</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/aguerosergiokun" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/aguerosergiokun" data-vars-event-id="c23">@aguerosergiokun</a> tells Mike Summerbee & Denis Law about the selfie he just took with President Xi! <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFAStateVisit?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#CFAStateVisit</a> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://t.co/4r5flEScyu" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://t.co/4r5flEScyu" data-vars-event-id="c23">pic.twitter.com/4r5flEScyu</a> — Manchester City FC (@MCFC) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657507097983254528" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3097906-https://twitter.com/MCFC/status/657507097983254528" data-vars-event-id="c23">October 23, 2015</a>
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