The England footballer, author and poverty campaigner on instilling self-belief in pupils at his old school, his favourite titles of 2021, and his hopes for his book club
Marcus Rashford, 24, plays football for England and Manchester United and is the author of this year’s bestselling children’s nonfiction book, You Are a Champion, written with the journalist Carl Anka to inspire young people to reach their full potential. One of five siblings raised by a single mother on minimum wage in Manchester, Rashford has become one of Britain’s leading campaigners against child poverty. In June he launched the Marcus Rashford Book Club in conjunction with Magic Breakfast and Macmillan Children’s Books to encourage a lifelong love of reading and give free books to underprivileged children. Next year, Rashford will release his first children’s fiction book, The Breakfast Club Adventures, co-authored by Alex Falase-Koya.
What effect has your book club had so far?
I visited Button Lane a few weeks ago; it’s my old primary school and a recipient of my book club. It was brilliant to see the children’s faces light up when they talked about books, and each and every one of them had taken something slightly different away from their reading. They were engaged, and that is what we’re looking for – for children to use books as an escape when faced with daily challenges; to be inspired, motivated and ultimately dream about what they could be one day. The one thing that stood out for me, though, was how their aspirations had changed since the club first launched. Then, most of the children told me they wanted to be a footballer like me. Now, we have children dreaming of being artists, architects, vets. It’s just brilliant. That’s what I wanted. The belief that they can be anything they want to be.
You Are a Champion by Marcus Rashford and Carl Anka is published by Macmillan (£9.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
