Barcelona wonderkid Gavi plays like Diego Maradona trained - with his shoelaces untied and teammates have to help him

If you watch Barcelona's talented teenager Gavi you might notice something a little bit different about him.

The 17-year-old is one of the brightest young talents in European football but has been regularly pictured with his boots untied.

Gavi does not know how to tie his shoe laces with teammates helping him lace his boots

Fans have speculated over whether Gavi has a bizarre superstition or pre-match ritual, but it has been revealed he simply does not know how to tie them.

“Gavi has been playing with his laces untied since he was very young,

“It’s because he doesn’t know how to tie them well. He doesn’t care and he plays like that", Xavi previously told Goal.

Luckily he can count on the kind acts of some of his teamates to help him out.

Nico Gonzalez previously poked fun at Gavi on Instagram with a picture of him helping the Spain international tie his laces, with a caption which translated to: "Time to learn…”

It's something which isn't as unusual as you might think as Gavi is following in the footsteps of Diego Maradona who, like the young Spaniard, didn't tie his laces.

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Nico has previously poked fun at Gavi after not being able to tie his laces

Gavi, 17, is keen member of the Barcelona playing staff under manager Xavi

Italian paper Il Mattino explained, Maradona 'always trained with his laces undone. He just felt more comfortable that way, he felt the ball better. He’d only tie them up just before kick off'.

Gavi has emerged onto the scene for both club and country in just the last six months, and still only 17, he only turns 18 on August 5 and it is a frightening reminder of how good he can become.

Maradona also played for Barcelona and, like Gavi, sometimes didn't tie his laces, although mainly while trainingCredit: GETTY

Barcelona are key to tie the youngster down to a new five-year deal, and scrap the €50million (£42.6m) release clause that is currently interested in his contract.

Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have all previously been linked with a move for the midfielder.

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