Ruben Amorim and Diogo Dalot are related and ‘are descendants of a clown’

Ruben Amorim and Diogo Dalot are related with the Manchester United manager and wing back both the descendants of a circus artist

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim and wing-back Diogo Dalot are actually related.

The Portuguese duo have come in for substantial criticism during their time at the club, with one of the sticks thrown at Amorim is his insistence on deploying Dalot in a wing-back role.

While the joke from many fans that Dalot’s place in the team is down to him and Amorim sharing a homeland. The idea that nepotism is behind his selection is a funny joke that United fans will likely get their kicks out of.

It’s been revealed through the Portuguese ancestral website Geneall that the duo are great-great-grandsons of Carlos Dallot, a 19th century circus artist. United have also confirmed the distant relationship between the manager and defender.

Carlos Dallot was born in France and toured Europe with his siblings Jose and Julia before settling in Portugal to continue their platform.

Dalot, 26, previously confirmed that his surname has French origins and his hometown of Braga is where the circus performers permanently moved to.

The 30-time Portugal international joined Porto’s youth ranks as a boy before successfully reaching the first-team. He played just eight times for the first team before United and Jose Mourinho came knocking.

Dalot made the switch to Old Trafford in 2018 for £19million, with fellow Portuguese boss Mourinho lauding the then-teenager as “the best young full-back in Europe.”

Meanwhile, his current boss, 40, was born in Lisbon and played the majority of his career in the Portuguese capital with Belenenses and Benfica, but did have spell on loan at Braga in 2012.

Under Amorim, Dalot has been deployed at wing-back, making four consecutive starts on the left as United picked up 10 points from a possible 12.

Following the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest last time out, Amorim admitted Dalot was crowded out at the City Ground: “If you see Dalot, many times Dalot has the ball with space to make the cross, but he’s a right footer, he’s always inside without space.

“The only [alternative] is Patrick (Dorgu), you are going to do the same thing. When you have the ball, go to the side and cross, the space is there.

“Because if you want to come inside Cunha is always there to receive the ball.”