Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford says helping children during the coronavirus pandemic is “top of his to do list” after raising £100,000 to provide 400,000 meals for vulnerable children in the UK.
“I was on free meals in school and my mum wouldn’t get home until 6pm so my next meal would be at 8pm,” The 22-year-old explained on BBC Breakfast.
“I was fortunate, there are kids who don’t get that meal at home. When I heard schools were closing I wanted to make sure these kids were getting the meals they need.”
Manchester’s two rival clubs have come together to provide aid for those affected by the virus, donating a combined £100,000 to help foodbanks in Greater Manchester, and Rashford stressed the importance of this unity.
“When times are tough it’s important that two clubs who have a huge social following show everyone we do come together and make a difference when things that are bigger than football happen,” he added.
Rashford suffered a back injury during United’s FA Cup win over Wolves on 15 January, but says he has been training on the bike as well as playing Fifa, reading and calling friends to keep himself occupied during the pandemic.
“It’s important to keep time passing, stay with positive vibes and keep smiling,” he said.
“I read a lot of books on mentality. In my profession that’s one of the key points. I like to keep developing and improving in some way.
“I can’t do that physically right now, the main way I can do that is mentally. There’s so much knowledge in books and you don’t really know that until you start reading.
“I’ve been watching old games in the Premier League from years ago. Me and the boys are missing football.”
