If anyone has ever thought of Marouane Fellaini as a Mickey Mouse footballer, the Manchester United midfielder has made that idea more believable during a shoot with GQ Style.

One of the looks the Belgian sported for the shoot recalled the iconic Disney character, with Fellaini’s trademark afro bunched into a Mickey Mouse-inspired hairdo.

On the pitch, of course, the 30-year-old has been hitting back at critics by becoming one of Jose Mourinho‘s trusted lieutenants in midfield.

“I’ve learnt a lot with him,” Fellaini said. “José is someone who wants to win every game: he pushes players to get the maximum from them.

“He has a very good understanding with his players. He’s a winner.”

Despite often being used for his physicality, Fellaini says there’s more to his game than aggression, adding that pundits have unfairly attached that label to him.

“It think it’s easy for them to portray me as an aggressive player but I’m not.

“I try to play my game, I try my best to recover the ball quickly: that’s my job. Try to be better all the time, to give my best for the team, for the club.

“I always want to improve.”

The Belgian has talked up his country’s chances at this year’s World Cup in Russia, which comes after two successive tournaments in which the Red Devils have underachieved. They were knocked out at the quarterfinal stage by Argentina in the 2014 World Cup and Wales in Euro 2016, but are again being considered a dark-horse candidate for this summer’s showpiece.

“We hope to do better than at the last World Cup and Euros,” Fellaini said.

“We have a great squad and we’re four years more experienced. We’re ready and want to do something special for the Belgian fans.”