Stars Celebrate #SchoolsUnited

The Manchester United first-team squad joined local schoolchildren this week for an event to celebrate the work of the Foundation in the local community.

The players took part in activities at the Aon Training Complex and at Foundation partner schools across Greater Manchester as part of the third annual #SchoolsUnited initiative which showcases the club charity’s extensive work.

Paul Pogba and Juan Mata led players at the Aon Training Complex as they joined pupils trying their hand at football-related games including inflatable football darts, football pong and a free-kick challenge.

Commenting on his first #SchoolsUnited event, Pogba told us: “It’s always memorable doing work with the Foundation and we just want to make kids happy. For me, when I was a kid, it was a dream to meet a footballer, so it’s good to do things like this and to be an example for children as they are the future.”

An ongoing supporter of the Foundation, Mata added: “The work that the Foundation does in Manchester is incredible and it’s always nice for us to get involved and take part in some challenges with the kids – some of them are even better than us!”

Across Manchester, Michael Carrick and Phil Jones visited Loreto High School in Chorlton, whilst Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ashley Young surprised pupils at Manchester Academy in Moss Side.  The players visited English, French and Maths lessons, before joining in with football activities to showcase the Foundation’s Street Reds provision, an evening football programme that takes place at 12 locations across the city.

Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw and Matteo Darmian headed to Moorfield and St Joseph the Worker primary schools in Irlam where they got involved with Move With Manchester United and Premier League Reading Stars sessions, initiatives aimed at helping young children learn fundamental movement and reading skills.

Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford met pupils at Albion Academy in Salford, while Bastian Schweinsteiger and Daley Blind toured Manchester Health Academy in Wythenshawe and surprised year-nine pupils studying for a Foundation leadership award and took part in a question-and-answer session.

It was Schweinsteiger’s first visit to a school in England and he was delighted to meet the youngsters. “It’s nice to see a school over here and it’s fun to see how it works. When I was young, I tried to avoid the classroom and focus on football. I looked up to players that had a lot of experience so now I try to do the same here for the kids.”

Credit: Manutd.com