MANCHESTER United first-team players visited Stretford High to take part in sports coaching sessions, leadership workshops and language lessons.

The Premier League stars visited the excited youngsters on behalf of the Manchester United Foundation, a charity aimed at using the passion for the team to educate, motivate and inspire young people.

Wayne Rooney partnered young defender Paddy McNair to attend the school, where he used his own experience as captain to impart leadership lessons.

“You need to be confident – that’s a big part of it, as well as being able to communicate well and clearly, which a lot of them did in the classroom,” he said.

“As a Manchester United player we’re in a privileged position and it’s great to come and down, see the kids and try to give them some advice.”

Elsewhere, the Red Devils’ Spanish contingent visited Broadoak School in Partington and The Swinton High School in Pendlebury to join in lessons in their native tongue and answer questions from GCSE students about their homelands.

Antonio Valencia and Victor Valdes fielded questions at Broadoak, while Juan Mata and Marcus Rojo led an FA Junior Football Leaders’ refereeing session at Swinton before speaking to the children.

“The Foundation does great work with kids and I think it’s great of the club,” said Juan Mata.

“It makes us realise what football means to the kids and we just try to help in any way we can.

“It costs nothing for us to come here and make the kids happy and it can be very important for them.”

Goalkeeper David de Gea and summer signing Angel Di Maria were also out visiting schools.

The Spanish shot-stopper and the Argentinean £60m man tried their hand at table tennis, badminton and basketball in Burnage.

“Not everyone likes football, this way at least the kids have different choices of sports,” explained de Gea.

“I believe it's a great incentive that they have the opportunity to participate in different activities.

“It was very gratifying for us to be here today and to be able to play some activities with the kids.”