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GETTING LIT
MANCHESTER UNITED flop Marcos Rojo celebrated a cup final victory with Boca Juniors by smoking during a post-match picnic with his family on the pitch.
The 32-year-old seemed oblivious to the TV cameras honing in on him as he took a long drag on his cigarette before blowing out the smoke with a smile.
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The extraordinary scene took place as he savoured a 3-0 win over Tigre on Sunday to claim the domestic Professional League Cup, a new cup which was originally named after Diego Maradona following his death in August 2020 before being renamed for legal reasons.
The unrepentant footballer, who landed himself in hot water for smoking while he was still at Old Trafford, later took to social media to post a photo of basketball legend Michael Jordan puffing on a cigar after adding to his collection of silverware with the Chicago Bulls.
Rojo, who scored one of the goals in Boca’s cup final win, stunned TV commentators by lighting up after eating pizza and downing beer on the pitch at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in the city of Cordoba.
One said: “These images drive me crazy. Marcos looks so happy and relaxed. Let me enjoy himself. These moments are so important.”
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The moment divided football fans. with one taking to social media to insist: “He could have waited till he got home. I didn’t like what I saw. A club like Boca should set an example.”
Enraged Carlos Cardoso wrote alongside the footage: “I’m old school. He’s showing his children and club a lack of respect. He should have done it in private.”
But self-confessed smoker Yamila Cespi insisted: “Let him celebrate the way he wants. Only a smoker can understand what I’m saying."
And Joaquin Amarilla added sarcastically: “Do people really think players don’t smoke, or is it just that they wait to become managers before lighting up for the first time!!!”
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Dad-of-three Rojo was also criticised after being pictured smoking outside a nightclub in his homeland in March 2016 while he was still at United.
He was seen playing poker and smoking with friends again in a video posted on social media and later deleted by his brother Franco two years ago when he was on loan to Estudiantes.
United confirmed at the time they would speak to him over the apparent breach of Argentina’s lockdown rules during the Covid pandemic.
A nationwide mandatory quarantine was in place in the South American country at the time.
Rojo was signed by former United manager Louis van Gaal in August 19 2014 for £16million from Sporting Lisbon.
He is regularly named as one of Old Trafford’s most expensive flops.
He made headlines in July last year after being filmed threatening rival players with a fire extinguisher as a weapon after Boca Juniors were beaten in the Copa America by Atletico Mineiro.
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Former United teammate Andreas Herrera joked about the ugly incident on his Instagram by photoshopping the fire extinguisher into Rojo’s right hand in a snap showing him with his arm round the Argentinian defender after a Red Devils’ victory.
Last September the Argentine raised eyebrows again by removing his face mask as he arrived at his team hotel for an away cup match - and gifting it to a young fan.