Marcus Rashford slams claim that campaigning boosts his endorsement deals

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Jul 21, 2021

High-profile England football star Marcus Rashford has been forced to defend his commercial and charity partnerships, including his links to luxury fashion house Burberry.

The Manchester United and England forward tweeted on Tuesday evening that political magazine The Spectator was set to run a story suggesting he has “benefited commercially” from his campaigning.

However, in a Twitter thread, he defended his partnerships and said his fees contribute to off-pitch causes, such as food poverty initiatives.

Rashford’s Burberry partnership saw the fashion company make a number of donations to youth charities and youth clubs. He has also backed a number of child food poverty incentives and became the youngest person to top the Sunday Times Giving List by raising £20 million in donations from supermarkets for groups tackling the issue.

The twitter thread also said: “Just heard @spectator are planning to run a story on me tomorrow about how I have benefitted commercially in the last 18 months.

“To clarify, I don’t need to partner with brands. I partner because I want to progress the work I do off the pitch and most of any fee I would receive contributes to that. Last summer, 1.3 million children had access to food support, through my relationship with Burberry children have a safe place to be after school where they will be fed, following the November investment vulnerable children have safe places to go this summer holiday, and due to my relationship with Macmillan 80,000 children now have a book to call their own.

“Do I have a larger commercial appeal following the [government policy] u-turns? I’m sure. But I’m also a Manchester United and England international footballer. Why has there always got to be a motive? Why can’t we just do the right thing?

Rashford was also the target of online racist abuse after his penalty miss in the Euro 2020 final against Italy. Abusive graffiti was also left on a mural of his face in Withington, Manchester.