Charlie Daniels and Alfie Mawson join Juan Mata’s Common Goal initiative

Bournemouth’s Charlie Daniels and Swansea’s Alfie Mawson have become the first English players to pledge at least one per cent of their wages to Juan Mata’s Common Goal project.

The Manchester United and Spain midfielder launched the initiative in August to help high-impact football charities across the world.

Giorgio Chiellini, Mats Hummels and Serge Gnabry are among those to have so far pledged to Common Goal, with Daniels and Mawson now joining them – the first English players to do so.

“I’ve been speaking to several English players who have shown an interest in Common Goal and it’s brilliant that Charlie and Alfie are the first players to make the pledge,” Mata said.

“They are both top Premier League players and their commitment is a great step in the evolution of Common Goal.”

Daniels has helped Bournemouth rise from League One to the Premier League, while Mawson represented England at this year’s European Under-21 Championship after a fine first season at Swansea.

“It was only a few years ago that I was playing non-league and helping out my dad at the weekends with his market stall,” 23-year-old defender Mawson said.

“I’m now at a great place and I want to concentrate 100 per cent on my football.

“I don’t want to cause any fuss or anything, but joining Common Goal allows me to focus on my career while forming part of something that can really help transform lives of those less fortunate. It’s a good thing for football.”

Daniels, the 31-year-old Cherries defender, added: “I’ve experienced pretty much everything that you can live as a player in England. Maybe that’s why I’ll never forget where I’ve come from.

“Football is such an important part of my life, as it is for so many people in this country. It just seems right that our national sport gives something back to society.

“Common Goal is the most effective and long-lasting way for players to make a difference. If my pledge can help spread the idea of Common Goal, especially among the younger players, then it will be one of the proudest achievements of my career.”

Common Goal is run by the Berlin-based organisation streetfootballworld, which invests in more than 120 football-based charities in 80 countries.

Source: By PA Sport Staff


Published at Fri, 20 Oct 2017 12:09:49 +0000