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Football

19th Jul 2018

Manchester United player breaks Guinness World Record for Hungry Hungry Hippos on US tour

Manchester United's Axel Tuanzebe already has an award for the season

Wayne Farry

Axel Tuanzebe

Pre-season has barely started and Manchester United’s Axel Tuanzebe already has an award

Pre-season tours can be notoriously boring for footballers. While the modern age of technology and gizmos offers players an increased number of outlets to wile away on, traditionally pre-season winds down to a routine of food, training, rest, food, training, rest.

Understandably, among the weeks of repetition and training drills, players will inevitably look for increasingly stimulating ways to pass the time, whether that be playing video games, card games or simply becoming a new Guinness World Record holder.

That’s not a common one, in truth, it’s actually reserved for Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe, who broke the world record for the fastest clearing of a Hungry Hungry Hippos board.

Tuanzebe reportedly defeated teammate Ro-Shaun Williams at the game, clearing the board in just 17.36 seconds in the process to set a brand new Guinness World Record.

The 20-year-old is expected to feature heavily during United’s tour, which sees them face among others Mexican side Club America. Other young players, like the highly-rated Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes and Mason Greenwood, are also expected to take part.

A large portion of Jose Mourinho’s first team remain on holiday after the World Cup, giving the Portuguese coach the opportunity to assess how ready the club’s younger players are to make the step up to the first team.