AFP PHOTO | NMG 

England football star Marcus Rashford is used to hogging back page headlines for his exploits for his club Manchester United and the country’s national team.

The letter brought a change of heart in the government, opening the door to the £120 million (Sh16 billion) summer voucher plan that will, in the words of Rashford, give the vulnerable families one less thing to worry about amid crippling job losses in Britain.

Eventually, when the Coviod-19 demon has been slayed and life goes back to normal—or a new normal— the Rashford campaign will be seen as a seminal moment in the way sports stars leverage their considerable celebrity and reach for greater good.

It has taken the global Black Lives Matter campaign to force the game to act, but it can still learn a thing or two from the actions of Rashford and fellow black players in Europe, who have spoken strongly against racism in society.

By lending his considerable fame and celebrity to the cause, he has encouraged companies, the government and foundations to donate food to those in need, showing that just like Rashford in the UK, sports stars can go beyond entertaining on the field to make a difference in society.