What would you do to meet your idol? Well, Ochirvaani Batbold, 27, cycled 8,699 miles from Mongolia to Manchester to see his hero Wayne Rooney. The Manchester United fan set off from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on May 5 2023, and arrived in Manchester 365 days later on May 5 2024. In total, Ochirvaani cycled through 17 countries including China , Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Iran , Turkey, Greece , North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia , Hungary, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France and England.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing spending eight to ten hours a day on a bike. He was also declined a British visa three times but this didn’t stop him meeting Rooney and watching Man Utd against Arsenal at Old Trafford from the directors’ box. The meeting came about because Ochirvaani wrote a letter to Manchester United that said: ‘I’m currently cycling from my home in Mongolia to Old Trafford because I love Manchester United.

‘Wayne Rooney has always been my hero. I loved his relentless work ethic, versatility and ability to rise to the occasion in crucial moments. He was always an inspiration.

‘When I was younger all I ever wanted to do was to be a professional footballer and to play for Manchester United, however I experienced a difficult situation. ‘I lost a significant amount of money after being deceived by someone posing as a football agent. I felt like I was living a nightmare.

’ A truly unforgettable story ❤ï ̧ In May last year, Ochirvaani.