Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford has been named in Time magazine’s Next 100 list as someone who is helping shaping the future, in recognition of his campaigning work on child poverty.
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was chosen by the American weekly magazine to write the entry on Rashford.
Hamilton writes: “By standing up for the most vulnerable in our society, and using his platform and influence to create positive change, Marcus inspired countless others to join him on this mission and cemented his status as a role model.
“In a year that showed us the power of working together toward a common goal, he was a galvanizing force behind uniting people across the UK in the effort to ensure no child goes hungry.
“His determination, resilience and persistence have been truly inspiring. I cannot wait to see how he continues this important work.”
Rashford was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his work fighting child food poverty in his home country over the past year and was also recognised with a special award at BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
A petition set up by the footballer calling for free school meals to be offered in England during school holidays reached one million signatures in October and, after huge public pressure, the government agreed to offer extra support to hard-pressed families over the winter.