Worlds Collide as Batting Superstar Suryakumar Yadav Catches up with Manchester United Legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in India on his maiden visit to the country and after arriving, met with India cricket star Suryakumar Yadav during an event in Bengaluru on Friday.

Solskjaer had a storied career with Premier League giants Manchester United spanning over a decade winning bucketful of trophies including a historic treble during the 1998-99 season.

Solskjaer walked into footballing folklore with his injury-time winner for Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich after coming off the bench in the 81st minute with his club trailing 0-1.

He later on managed Manchester United between 2018 and 2021.

Solskjaer and Suryakumar interacted briefly with the Indian informing him about his time away from cricket due to injuries.

A post shared by Surya Kumar Yadav (SKY) (@surya_14kumar)

The 50-year-old Solskjaer advised Suryakumar to continue playing as long as he can enjoy and not ‘retire too early.

“Enjoy it as long as you can. It is always best when you are active. Don’t retire too early,” Solskjaer said.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian hasn’t taken any role since leaving Manchester United but hasn’t ruled out a return to management provided it’s an interesting club.

“I’ve got at least one club job in me. It has to be an interesting one, somewhere, an adventure, somewhere, I can be myself. No disrespect, but after you’ve managed Manchester United for three years, it’s like, where do you go? Yeah, of course, I want to feel that pressure again. You know, when you see the games, you miss it,” Solskjaer told media on Friday.

Also Read: India vs England Tests: Who’s In and Who’s Out?

Reflecting on his time as Manchester United manager, Solskjaer admitted the challenges that come with the role.

“It’s the best job in the world (managing Manchester United). You always want to manage against the best football people in the world. The Premier League is the best league in the world, the most difficult,” he said.

“I have been there for three years. Yes, it is a hard job. It’s an extraordinary job, but you’re the face of the biggest and best club in the world. You have to be ready all the time to be scrutinised. So, I enjoyed it and I needed a break after I stepped away,” he added.