Marcus Rashford voted onto Football Black List

Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford has been voted onto this year’s Football Black List.

The list, founded in 2008 by sports journalists Leon Mann  and Rodney Hinds, highlights leaders working across all areas of the game from the black community.

Rashford has been widely lauded for his work in tackling child poverty amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Joining Rashford on the list is Brentford striker Ivan Toney, Arsenal Women and England Women forward Nikita Parris and Tottenham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.

It also features former Lionesses international Alex Scott, now a pundit and presenter with the BBC, and Wrexham chief executive Fleur Robinson.

Leon Mann, co-founder of the Football Black List, said: “Black excellence in football is regularly talked about on the pitch – and we want to help highlight the contribution of Black leaders off the field in the sport, too.

“This list of influential game changers is a snapshot of the contribution Black communities are making to football.

“Those named today join an illustrious group who have featured on the list over the last decade – including the likes of Raheem Sterling, Ian Wright, Hope Powell, Rio Ferdinand, Herman Ouseley and Rachel Yankey.”

Votes are cast by a panel of experts from the football industry and the black community on nominations put forward by the public.

The list was unveiled on Tuesday at the National Football Museum in Manchester.

The Football Black List LGBTQ+ award for 2021 was presented to Amy Allard-Dunbar from the Football v Homophobia group.