Barack Obama praises Marcus Rashford in Zoom meeting

Barack Obama praises Marcus Rashford in Zoom meeting

Barack Obama has praised the anti-poverty campaigning of England footballer Marcus Rashford.

In a Zoom meeting, the former United States president told Mr Rashford he was “way ahead of where I was” at that age.

The 23-year-old footballer said it was “surreal” to be talking to Mr Obama from his kitchen in Manchester.

Mr Obama backed young people such as Mr Rashford who are “positive forces in their communities”.

The men, in a meeting set up by the publishers Penguin, discussed the former president’s memoir and shared experiences, such as being raised by single mothers and their involvement in community projects. [BBC]