Marcus Rashford The Game Changer

Marcus Rashford is currently changing the game, and no, we aren’t talking about football.

The Englishman has recently been making the headlines of every news outlet in the country, due to his political actions off the field.

Like the start of many great reform movements, it all started with a pen and paper. The 22-year-old sent out a letter to MPs, pleading to the government to extend the food voucher scheme for vulnerable children over the summer holidays.

His advocation for the policy quickly drew traction online, following a touching interview from Rashford himself, explaining why this was such an important deal to him. You see, the forward’s life hasn’t always centred around the glitz and glamour in representing Manchester United.

Rashford had to rely on such schemes growing up in his rather deprived area of Wythenshawe, with the youngster citing the struggles he and his family endured growing up. It’s a relatable story that sees the United striker become a connected figure with millions up and down the country, hence his desire to help represent such members of society.

"Look at what we can do when we come together."

These were the words published by Rashford after the government made a U-turn on their decision to reject the footballer's initial appeal. Boris Johnson had turned down the extension of the food voucher scheme on Monday afternoon, but the United representative kept pushing the matter.

There was no outburst from the figure, but simply, he kept pressing the importance of the policy to his social media following. His hashtag #maketheUturn was soon trending worldwide, subsequently forcing the government's hand to retract their viewpoint.

Now, around 1.3 million children will be granted free school meals over the summer time, with the scheme being predicted to cost around £120m. Discussing the monetary value of this cause is no doubt insignificant in correlation with the importance of it, but it does help represent the monumentous scale of Rashford's aid.

Many European footballers, particularly those in England, have a just suspicion of the media, and the public for that matter. Coinciding with the rise of social media, the unfair criticism of players has escalated in recent years, with many sporting figures becoming attacked for their personal choices.

The targeting of such profiles online is an influencing factor behind why so many players choose not to take a stand or share their own political views on the web. We have never been so connected to footballers, in the sense of the daily coverage of their lifestyles lying at our finger tips, and yet, we are so distant from their actual beliefs.

Rashford's standpoint was met from a strange, selected area of online rogues that have to disapprove of any progressive ideologies. It highlighted why many figures will be reluctant to publicise their own, strong beliefs, however, the general consensus was overwhelmingly positive. The 22-year-old can reach 2.8million people at the push of a button, and he has been utilising this platform to advocate change and positivity, wherever possible.

His posts have gone far beyond the realms of the United fan-base, with his profile now being identified with political reform and being a voice for the people. Earlier in the year, Rashford teamed up with the charity FareShare, with his affiliation with the organisation helping raise over £20m for vulnerable children.

You start to run out of superlatives when describing this young man. His work off the field has positively effected the lives of millions and during these uncertain times, has provided himself as a leadership figure that this country is currently lacking.