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Caring soccer ace Angel Di Maria is now helping to save premature babies after his own daughter nearly died after being born three months early.

Manchester United’s £75 million man posed in the back garden of his new home to throw his weight behind global charity Unicef’s drive to raise awareness of tots born early.

He cuddled daughter Mia, who turns two in April, and made a heart shape with his fingers and those of wife Jorgelina Cardoso.

And Jorgelina, 32, also shared a string of touching pictures of the couple cuddling the tiny mite just hours after she was born and still fighting for life.

Mia spent two months in hospital battling to survive.

The former Real Madrid midfielder, 26, said his daughter’s battle to live was in inspiration to him, revealing: “My daughter’s taught me that everything is possible. She taught me that the most difficult thing is at times the easiest, that the efforts of someone can be rewarded.

“She taught me how to suffer and be able to withstand pain and be stronger. Everything she transmitted to me helped me have a spectacular season.”

Jorgelina wrote a message to Mia after posting the moving pictures, revealing: “Two months in the Intensive Care Unit. No one but your father and I know the pain it caused to see your beautiful face covered in wires and devices.

“There was nothing sadder than going home with empty arms and breasts full of pain. Tears soaked our pillow every night, I had a constant knot in my throat.”

The couple remains grateful to the Spanish hospital and staff who helped Mia survive.

The World Cup star said they made friends for life in the process as they bonded with other parents going through the same ordeal as them.

He explained: “We spent more than two months at the hospital, always with the same parents. The pain unites people. It makes you stronger and we had a very relationship with all the parents there.

“It was not easy but I had to fight.”