Genius can be forgiven anything, and so the decadence, the deceit and the drugs that tarnished Diego Maradona’s playing career and almost ended his life were irrelevant when he turned up in Liverpool and Manchester yesterday to send grown footballers goo-ey with simple, starry-eyed delight.

Given a shirt signed by Maradona for his 30th birthday, Rio Ferdinand said that the Manchester United squad had acted like “schoolkids” before the new Argentina coach. The cynic would say that it does not take much to bring out a footballer’s childish side, but this was not about infantile behaviour but innocent wonder at being in the presence of greatness. It was a moment to turn the rich and famous into people like us: awestruck, excited and nervous in front of an idol.

Maradona’s greatness is distanced by decades – he retired in 1997, long after he had peaked and before most present players had made their debuts. But the flawed brilliance that is encompassed by two goals in a single match, the quarter-final at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico against England, when he cheated then danced his team to glory, lives on in the sport’s collective memory.

The 48-year-old appeared in good health yesterday, a contrast from the corpulent figure he cut a couple of years ago, when he suffered several heart attacks. Unfazed by the autumnal weather, he was clad in a smart black shirt and coat while, posing for photographs with him, Sir Alex Ferguson looked like he was heading to the Arctic.

“It was good. He met all the players and they were delighted to see him,” the United manager said, untroubled by such a distraction even 24 hours before one of his side’s biggest fixtures of the season. “Were they star-struck? Absolutely. He is without doubt one of the top players, he was a marvellous player.” Maradona spent nearly two hours at Liverpool’s Melwood training ground having visited United earlier in the day. “I was having a discussion with Maradona in my office, but it was very difficult. There was a constant stream of our biggest players wanting to meet him. Probably our two most famous were first in the queue,” Rafael BenÍtez, the Liverpool manager, said, referring to Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

He joked that his squad was more excited about Maradona’s appearance than at the news that the manager intends to extend his contract. “Even some of Carragher’s family turned up,” BenÍtez added. “Xabi Alonso also wanted to meet him – his father had played alongside Maradona at Barcelona.”

Maradona held talks with Carlos Tévez, the United striker, and Javier Mascherano, the Liverpool midfield player. Both are integral to his plans and Mascherano is believed to be his preferred choice as captain, although the player has been noncommittal about it.

“They have had a meeting together and they will talk about this,” BenÍtez said. “We talked about what Maradona wants from us and from Javier. The talks were positive, it was helpful to know what he was thinking. Clearly, he could be captain. He has a fantastic mentality, is a good professional and a strong character. If he wants he can be a fantastic captain.”

Touring the continent to meet Argentina’s Europe-based players before his first match, the friendly with Scotland in Glasgow on November 19, Maradona was in Spain on Thursday to meet Lionel Messi, of Barcelona. It is unclear whether he will take in Tévez’s team at the Emirates Stadium this lunchtime or travel to Anfield for Liverpool’s match against West Bromwich Albion. Wherever he goes, he will create a stir; there is no one in world football quite like El Diego.