There really is no pleasing some people is there.
Manchester United’s 22-year-old front man, Marcus Rashford, has captured the mood of the nation with his social media campaign aimed at forcing the government to continue their free school meals voucher scheme across the summer, thereby helping the most vulnerable in society during the coronavirus pandemic.
Injured prior to the lockdown, Rashford will hope to continue to make a name for himself when the Red Devils kick-off their 2019/20 campaign this week, against Tottenham Hotspur.
However, it’s off the pitch in the last few weeks where he’s done some great work, and Tuesday’s u-turn by the government has garnered wide-spread acclaim, including from Juan Mata, Jadon Sancho and Liverpool Football Club, amongst others.
Well done @MarcusRashford, we are very proud of you ??? https://t.co/OO5ltTCIU5
— Juan Mata García (@juanmata8) June 16, 2020
I stand by you all the way!
Growing up in London a lot of the kids their parents struggled financially so having free school meals was a saviour!
This one is close to my heart ??— Jadon Sancho (@Sanchooo10) June 16, 2020
Children in our region will benefit because of the actions of this remarkable role model ??
From Liverpool With Love. https://t.co/mSatwzZZ2E
— Liverpool FC (at ?) (@LFC) June 16, 2020
However, it appears not everyone was happy with Rashford’s humanity and humility. England rugby international, Courtney Lawes, decided to take it upon himself to belittle the striker’s achievement.
‘Great win mate, you’ve done a incredible thing for a lot of young people! Maybe now would be a good time to bring some attention to the importance of being financially secure and preferably married before having kids? This would go a long way to treating a big part of the issue’ he wrote in a now-deleted tweet, cited by the Daily Star.
Quite what the rugby authorities will make of Lawes’ outburst will be seen in due course, but in the meantime Marcus Rashford deserves all of the plaudits coming his way, both on and off the pitch.