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It is not uncommon for a footballer to score a hattrick, even on a stage as great as the Champions League. Although scoring three times in 16 minutes is certainly special. That Marcus Rashford accomplished such a feat in the same week that he once again caused unrest in the UK government is extraordinary.
His detractors had told the Manchester United striker to stick with football, rather than trying to alleviate childhood hunger in England.
On a rainy Wednesday night in Manchester, where he came off the substitute bench to score a wonderful hattrick in United’s 5-0 win over RB Leipzig, the 22-year-old proved he could do both: play football for brilliantly and at the same time, outside the court, help the hungry children.
His match-winning exploits came on the same day that his petition for children of poor families in England to receive free meals during the school holidays reached more than a million signatures. However, the UK government says it has put in place effective measures to support families.
After the game, Rashford tweeted: “3 goals, 16 minutes, 1,030,000 signatures. I can’t stop smiling, I’ve waited a long time for that. I wish the fans were willing to experience it with me. “
The English has done what many believed impossible in a country bitterly divided by Brexit and Covid-19: it has created some kind of consensus, or as much solidarity as could be expected in these polarized times. The usually tribal world of English football has even rallied to support the forward.
Leeds United, traditionally fierce rivals of United’s close neighbors, donated thousands of pounds this week to Rashford’s campaign, pledging to stand “together” to help feed vulnerable children.
Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, another northern English club with an intense rivalry with Rashford’s side, described the player’s campaign as “absolutely incredible”.
“He plays for United, which makes it really difficult,” Klopp told reporters this week. “But right now we are, as footballers and as human beings, always united.”
Many other football clubs, as well as teams from other sports, including England Rugby, have supported his End Child Food Poverty campaign.
Following the Tory government’s rejection last week of the opposition Labor Party’s motion to extend free school meals during school holidays in England until Easter 2021, Rashford’s grassroots campaign drew a wave of support.
A growing number of businesses and local councils, including conservative-led local authorities, across the country now offer food packages or food stamps.
That is not to say that Rashford is not without critics.
Conservative lawmaker Mark Jenkinson said of the footballer that “pretending, scoring political points, doesn’t help anyone,” while James Cartlidge, banned from a pub and restaurant in his constituency for voting against extending the provision of free school meals According to the Daily Correo: it said, “schools are not responsible for feeding pupils outside of the school period.”
The United player has also been accused of “virtue signaling”, to which Rashford’s response was to post a tweet on Wednesday that has so far received more than 80,000 likes: “But seriously, what is virtue signaling ? “
Dominant headlines
It has been a great year for the England international. He has directed UK newsletters, dominated newspaper headlines, and been awarded an MBE on the Queen Elizabeth II Birthday Honors List for his work in fighting food poverty.
As one of England’s most talented players, Rashford has had the ability to influence others for several years, ever since he scored on his United debut in 2016 to become an instant hero, but during this troubled year his voice has never. been stronger.
A man with nearly four million followers on Twitter, nine million on Instagram, and 6.5 million on Facebook has been influential, and in recent months Rashford has used his support effectively, retweeting from cafes, pubs, and restaurants across the country in a timeline that now provides live updates of your campaign.
In June, eloquently and calmly making his case for providing free school meals to the poorest families in England during the summer school holidays, Rashford forced the government to take a 180 degree turn. More than a million children benefited.
Born in Manchester to a single mother who grew up in one of the city’s most deprived areas, Rashford has raised millions in donations alongside food charity FareShare during the pandemic.
The youngest of five siblings, he has spoken of his own experience of food poverty, saying he depended on free school meals and “the kind actions of neighbors and coaches.”
“The system was not built for families like mine to be successful, regardless of how hard my mother worked,” he wrote in an open letter to UK lawmakers in June.
Rashford has proven to be a leader; a player with drive and social conscience. A self-made billionaire who has used his profile to make a difference during a once-in-a-generation pandemic that has brought heartache and hardship to many.
This is a childhood United fan who had barely been wrong since he made his hometown club debut; Not only did he score on his debut, he also found the net in his first EPL outing, his first Manchester derby and his first Champions League. match.
Perhaps none of the recognized powers appreciate the willpower it takes for a child from a low-income family to be successful in such a competitive industry, especially one of the most successful clubs in the world. He is not one to give up easily, especially on a matter so close to his heart.
He has urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss a solution with him. Despite mounting pressure to rethink even from his own lawmakers, Johnson said this week that he was “very proud of the support we have provided,” noting that the government was supporting families with a £ social security increase. 20 ($ 25) a week. .
Johnson said city councils also received 63 million pounds ($ 81 million) to help people struggling to pay for food and essentials. However, the Association of Local Governments said that this funding was intended to be spent before the end of September.
“We don’t want kids to go hungry this winter, this Christmas, certainly not as a result of this administration’s inattention, and they’re not going to see that,” Johnson said.
But has the UK government already lost the public relations battle?
After attempts to provide 1.4 million underprivileged children in England with food stamps of £ 15 a week ($ 19) over the holidays were rejected, Rashford took to Twitter.
“Let’s put aside all the noise, the excavations, the party politics and let’s focus on reality,” he published. “A significant number of children go to sleep tonight, not only hungry, but they feel like they don’t matter because of the comments made today.”
Rashford had already accomplished a lot in football; representing his country in a European Championship and a World Cup, scoring 74 goals for United, a figure that will only increase in the coming years. Both on and off the field, he continues to make his mark.
