Marcus Rashford is a man with a mission: to improve the world. To encourage the next generation of football talents, he recently built a brand-new football field at his alma mater.

Marcus Rashford is returning to the scene of the crime. Since 2016, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has had an impact on the nation with his literacy and food insecurity initiatives, which have affected millions of young people. With his most recent project, he is giving back to the organization that had a positive impact on his life.

There is no disputing the fervor with which Rashford is adored by the students at Button Lane Primary School. A brand-new painting encouraging children to dream, with Marcus at its center, brightens the playground on a dark fall day, while hand-drawn images adorn the gates.

Button Lane and Rashford have a crush on one another. In celebration of the beginning of his new multi-year collaboration with Nike and his 24th birthday, MR10 visited his alma mater to dedicate a brand-new football field, giving current and future students a better opportunity to follow in his footsteps.

Someone motivated by civic pride may think they have come full circle. We spoke with “the people’s PM” personally on the day he returned to Wythenshawe. We talked about his new collaboration with Nike, the importance of providing youth with access to football, and how his ambition to improve the world began when he was just 10 years old.

Russell, Marcus Many of these ideas have been floating about in my head for a very long time; I’ve just been waiting for the appropriate opportunity to act on them. We have a lot of goals for the future, but they will require time and careful planning to realize. It is amazing to be able to provide the kids access to this space today, and I hope they will use and value it for many years to come.

What advantages can football fields like this one give to kids like you in this community, and how significant were they to you growing up?

A nice field to play on is crucial for any child who enjoys football. You wouldn’t turn down the chance to participate in a professional-level sport, would you? When I was younger, I used to play football pretty much wherever, regardless of the surface. Occasionally, I would run across a website with a compelling argument, but you weren’t always allowed to use it. I wanted to make something that children could use at school without any limits because access has been a concern for a while.

For young individuals in the region who want to become professional football players or sportsmen, I think there is now a role model. My childhood experience at United Academy was incredible…I was constantly able to observe players who came before me and were successful. They show me what life was like at the pinnacle of success.

I used to play for enjoyment when I first started, but I met people who had comparable beginnings to me and had achieved success at an academy. I’m hoping that the children here will be able to emulate them in the same way that they set an example for you to follow.

I’ve always believed that people who are struggling should be given the chance to improve.