A Manchester United fan who is seven years old and is getting cancer treatment got a welcome visit from Alejandro Garnacho.

Anderson Pollard was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkins cancer in May 2023. United set up a meeting between the Argentine star and Pollard at their Carrington training ground.

Garnacho and his partner Eva Garcia just had a baby boy, and he was upset as he talked to the boy.

They went up to Carrington and told him that MUTV wanted to talk to him about what it was like to watch the 2-2 draw with Tottenham at Old Trafford earlier this month. Carrington’s family is from Redditch, Worcestershire.

But Anderson had no idea that he was about to meet a man whom he had called his hero. 

During their time together, Garnacho gave Anderson a little “bravery award” and called him “heroic” and “brave.” His dad, Sam, and mom, Debbie Bath, were with him.

Anderson had been getting chemotherapy since he was diagnosed eight months ago. Doctors thought he had constipation at first because he was having painful, occasional bowel movements.

After several tests, it was discovered that Anderson had many cancerous growths in his stomach.

His father, Sam Pollard, said, “When we found out it was cancer, we were just shocked.” 

“You see it in movies, but you don’t think it will happen to you.” It was terrible. We didn’t know what it meant, but we were scared.

“During a regular visit to an allergy clinic, he was first told he had constipation.” As his condition got worse, we called 111 and then took Anderson to the doctor the next morning, who sent him straight to the hospital.

“Anderson began to feel bad around the time he turned seven.” Even though he got better quickly at first, he quickly got sick again and wasn’t himself.

Anderson was in the hospital for four months and had six very strong rounds of chemotherapy.  

When kids have violent types of cancer and are getting treatment, they have an “emergency question.” This is a question that parents and doctors can ask them, and the answer shows how cognitively responsive they are when the disease is at its worst.

Anderson’s last-minute question was: “Who has played with Messi and Ronaldo?” Last year, his answer, “Garnacho,” was used a lot.

But he is better now, and he seemed happy when he saw Garnacho at Carrington.

The star player for United will play when Erik ten Hag’s team goes to Molineux on Thursday to play Wolves.