Diego Maradona once chatted over dinner with Newcastle United officials about how he'd "loved" to have played alongside Alan Shearer and Gazza in his pomp.
The Argentina legend and World Cup winner had long since hung up his boots but agreed to play in Soccer Aid for the ex-Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd.
Soccer Aid has since raised more than £49million for UNICEF and is part of the former Toon chairman's legacy after he sadly passed away in 2017.
Maradona was playing for the Rest of the World side against England at Old Trafford on the night he graced the same field as Paul Gascoigne.
Shepherd persuaded the former Napoli and Barcelona star to help raise money for UNICEF as well as legends such as Zinedine Zidane, Chris Waddle, Gazza, Lothar Matthäus, Alan Shearer and Peter Schmeichel down the years.
Freddy's son Kenneth told the Chronicle: "Diego came to play and helped start Soccer Aid with dad persuading him to play.
"He was a great guy and he supported UNICEF."
Both Freddy and Kenneth had dinner with Maradona 14 years ago with the football legend talking to the chairman about his admiration for players like Shearer and Paul Gascoigne.
Freddy Shepherd said back in 2006: "He told us he would have loved to have played with Shearer and Gazza.
"He said that Newcastle was like Naples in terms of the fanatical supporters and the atmosphere."
