“I wanted to carry their voice with me.”
Marcus Rashford has been awarded an M.B.E in the Queen’s Honours List, but the Manchester United forward knows his fight against child-hood poverty is far from over.
Rashford will wear boots adorned with messages from some of the thousands of children he has helped to feed over the past few months through his campaigning and work with charity FareShare.
England play Belgium on Sunday afternoon and Rashford is expected to play a part, having not featured in the 3-0 win over Wales on Thursday.
The boots Rashford will wear will display messages of gratitude from 40 children at three schools: Button Lane in Wythenshawe (Rashford’s primary school), Passmores Academy in Harlow and Brunswick Community Primary School in Sheffield.
Inspiring millions and giving a voice to the next generation.@MarcusRashford will wear a special pair of @nikefootball boots in today's game against Belgium 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VL67KsoMtz
— England (@England) October 11, 2020
Rashford will wear the Nike mercurial boots throughout October, donating each pair to causes who support his fight against child poverty, including FareShare and Trussell Trust.
Rashford said: “This project was an opportunity for me to give millions of children in the UK a platform to share their voice and inspire the next generation.
“If I hadn’t experienced what I experienced as a child, I couldn’t stand here today as a voice for change. There would be little power in the delivery of my message.
“I wanted to carry their voice with me, standing in Wembley Stadium with their messages written across my boots. I wanted to give them a moment to shine.
“Children need to believe that they can be anything they want to be, regardless of system failings and injustices. We must allow and encourage our children to dream because sometimes dreams are all they have.”
Their moment to shine ✨
The boots are adorned with messages from children who have been helped by @MarcusRashford’s efforts to combat child food poverty in the UK. pic.twitter.com/dFwCBCZ15S
— England (@England) October 11, 2020
Rashford is expected to lead the line for England against Belgium as Harry Kane has been listed as doubtful for the clash. Talk around the England camp is of Kyle Walker starting at centre-back while Mason Mount is expected to start ahead of Aston Villa star Jack Grealish.
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