Marcus Rashford Defends His Charity Partnerships Over Claims He ‘Benefited Commercially’

Marcus Rashford has defended his off-field partnerships following claims that he profited from his campaigning.

The Manchester United and England star earned an MBE for his charitable efforts helping feed children in need throughout the last year-and-a-half.

Rashford called out the government on a number of occasions during the pandemic to ensure schoolchildren were given access to meals, which resulted in U-turns and a shift in policy, and he did a huge amount to raise funds for charity.

The forward, who was racially abused after missing a penalty in the final of Euro 2020, tweeted on Tuesday night that he had heard political magazine The Spectator was planning to run a story suggesting he has ‘benefitted commercially’ from his charity work and decided to speak against it.

“Just heard @spectator are planning to run a story on me tomorrow about how I have benefitted commercially in the last 18 months,” Rashford tweeted.

“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, 1.3M 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 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?”