Marcus Rashford defends charity deals over profit claims

Rashford asked on Twitter: "Why has there always got to be a motive?"

Footballer Marcus Rashford has defended his off-field partnerships amid claims he has profited by campaigning.

The Manchester United and England forward tweeted he had heard political magazine The Spectator was due to publish a story about him getting an income from the partnerships.

The 23-year-old has backed child food poverty incentives and raised £20m for groups tackling the issue.

He questioned why footballers "can't just do the right thing" for charity.

The article has not yet been published.

The England player has also forced a series of government U-turns over free school meals during the coronavirus pandemic.

He tweeted a thread on Tuesday saying accusing him of benefitting financially from these charity partnerships was "just a non-starter".

Rashford's Burberry partnership saw the fashion company make a number of donations to youth charities and youth clubs, including London Youth and Norbrook Youth Club in Manchester, which he went to as a child.

Before that he started a petition urging ministers to extend free school meals through half-term and the Christmas holidays, eventually pressuring ministers into providing £170m of extra funding.

Hundreds of messages have been left on the mural

Rashford wrote on Tuesday: "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, 1.3M 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?

"I actually enjoy reading bits from The Spectator now and again but this is just a non-starter."

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Rashford, who received free school meals himself, was made an MBE in the delayed 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

A mural honouring the footballer was vandalised with graffiti following England's defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

Hundreds of heartfelt notes were later placed on the artwork in Withington, Manchester.

He was was targeted with racist abuse on social media after the game along with Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who also missed a penalty.