Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini celebrates his 29th birthday today, and we at Shoot! would like to wish the Belgium international a very happy birthday!

The former Everton man is currently out injured after suffering a calf strain on international duty last week, and missed United’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday.

Fellaini made the move to Old Trafford in September 2013 for £27.5 million, reuniting with his former Toffees boss David Moyes in Manchester after an excellent spell at Goodison Park.

He netted 12 times in 36 games in the 2012/13 season for Everton, which subsequently earned him the move to United where he has gone to play 98 times, scoring 11 goals in the process.

Fellaini has at times been an important part of the United team, who use his aerial ability to their strength as games wear on. Manager Jose Mourinho even said that he missed Fellaini’s presence in the draw against Arsenal.

The Belgium star, who made his professional debut for Standard Liege back in 2006, has been a mainstay of the national team in recent years, and has appeared 73 times for his country since his debut back in 2007.

With Fellaini celebrating his birthday, we at Shoot! have listed FIVE things you probably didn’t know about the United midfielder…

He used to run the 10,000 metres

Prior to becoming a footballer, Fellaini enjoyed running, and was particularly strong at the 10,000 metres.

He used to run to school as opposed to travelling by car or bus, and his ambitions were to pursue a career in athletics.

However, his father Abdellatif decided that he should choose football, and Fellaini hasn’t looked back since.

63 goals in two seasons at Anderlecht’s academy

Given his incredible goal-scoring record from a very young age, it was clear that Fellaini was going to go on and become a great footballer.

He joined the Anderlecht academy at the age of eight in 1994, and scored 26 goals in his first season there, and then 37 the season after.

Fellaini joined Mons in 1997, aged 11, as his father had a new job in the Belgian city.

He became the first Premier League player to wear Warrior boots

In December 2012, Fellaini became the first Premier League player to wear boots from the American sportswear company Warrior Sports.

They had originally started out manufacturing apparel for lacrosse and then ice hockey, before moving into the football industry earlier on in 2012.

Here, Fellaini debuts the new boots against Manchester City, where he netted the opener before giving away a penalty in a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

He cried when he heard that David Moyes had been sacked as United boss

Fellaini made the move from Everton to Manchester United just like David Moyes, but the Belgium international has lasted longer at Old Trafford than his former manager.

Both signed in the summer of 2013, with Fellaini costing £27.5 million, but Moyes lost his job in the following April after a disappointing season in charge, which had seen the Premier League title-holders drop from top spot to seventh.

Fellaini admitted to crying when he heard that Moyes had been sacked, saying he was like a ‘second father to me’.

His father used to be a professional footballer

The chief reason why Fellaini went down the football route as opposed to the athletics one is because his father used to play the game professionally.

Abdellatif played in goal for Moroccan sides Raja Casablanca and Hassania Agadir during his career and, although he signed for Belgian side Racing Mechelen, he was unable to play for them as the paperwork was not released by his former club.