What if you forgot your most important duty – the coin toss – as the captain of a team? How embarrassing would that be? And to add to it, imagine you are captaining your club for the very first time. Manchester United player and world’s most expensive defender Harry Maguire did exactly that during United’s Europa League 2019-20 clash against Partizan Belgrade. Maguire, who joined the Red Devils from Leicester this summer, was captaining United for the first time but completely forgot his duties as a captain and had an embarrassing moment when the referee had to call him back for the toss and captain photographs. Harry Maguire Floored by Seydouba Soumah During Manchester United vs Partizan, Europa League 2019; Fan Troll the Most Expensive Defender.

In a hilarious incident just before the Partizan Belgrade vs Man United clash, Maguire jogged off with his other teammates after leading United out for the game. The 26-year-old England centre-back had completely forgotten his duties as a captain and Twitter couldn’t help but smile on seeing the rookie leader rush back for the toss on being called by referee Xavier Fernandez and his assistants Roberto Alonso and Inigo Prieto. Maguire’s action – of heading straight back to his teammates for the warm-ups – left the referee his assistants as well Partizan goalkeeper and captain Vladimir Stojkovic at the centre of the pitch. Manchester United Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Lauds Youngster Brandon Williams After Brilliant Europa League Display.

When Harry Maguire Forgot He Was the Captain

Spanish referee Fernandez was even seen in a video searching for the missing piece, as they waited to hold the traditional toss, before realising that it was actually United captain Maguire, who was missing. Fernandez then had to shout out and call "Maguire! Harry!” before the United captain himself realised that he was actually the United captain for the night. “It is an absolute honour to lead the team out,” said the centre-back after the game.

It's Been a Long Time

“Last time I did this you did the coin toss in the centre circle, It’s been a long time. #LetMeOff," Maguire later tweeted and fans were amused on seeing the centre-back completely ignore his captaincy duties. “He might have thought old Ashey Young was the captain,” said a user on social media.

Out of Position

To Avoid Captaincy??

Harry Maguire Knows How to Entertain

Next Time He Won't Forget

That and Then This...

Only Better Days Ahead

Off the Hook

You Forgot the Toss, United Forgot the Goals

That, however, couldn’t spoil United’s first away victory in seven months and 12 matches. The match at Belgrade was emotional and special for the Red Devils, who returned to the very ground where 61 years ago they experienced one of football’s biggest tragedies. Matt Busby’s team of talented youngsters were returning back to Manchester after beating Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup Quarter-final in 1958 when their plane crashed in Munich, killing 23 people – among which were eight United players and three members of the club’s staff.

Anthony Martial scored the only goal of the game from the spot after left-back Brandon Williams was brought down two-minutes from the first-half. Martial’s goal was also United’s first away goal in a European clash since their victory over PSG in Champions League last season.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 25, 2019 12:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).