Video games, table football & autographs

It was packed, it was loud and it was clearly great fun for Philipp Lahm, David Alaba, Javi Martínez and Julian Green on Sunday afternoon when the quartet returned to their roots in a manner of speaking, taking up an invitation from adidas to visit talented youngsters at a street soccer in the New York port district. The players signed autographs, posed for selfies, watched the tournament featuring the stars of tomorrow and took on the youths at video games. There was a mixed bag of results for the FCB men: Lahm and Green emerged victorious, but Alaba and Martínez fell to defeat. However, the superb setting and upbeat mood meant the results were soon forgotten.

Xabi Alonso and Holger Badstuber were also out and about in New York City, drawing a boisterous crowd to Times Square. Rafinha and Juan Bernat visited DHL where they showed off their skills at table football. Sven Ulreich and Thiago took to the skies in a chopper. And Franck Ribéry and Arturo Vidal? They were in action for Audi on a secret mission. To be continued…