In the tradition of recognizing heroic deeds, Marcus Rashford, previously honored with the MBE for his philanthropy, is now joined by Jonny Evans as Manchester United undergoes a transformative phase.
Experiencing a notable upturn, Manchester United secured their best result this season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Everton. Marcus Rashford, symbolic of both on- and off-field excellence, marked the occasion with his second Premier League goal and dedicated the same to his deceased cousin.
Jonny Evans joins Marcus Rashford on exclusive list
Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans received his MBE from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace on Monday. The Manchester United defender was honored with the MBE for his notable contributions to association football in Northern Ireland.
Just like yesterday, Jonny Evans made his international debut against Spain in a historic 3-2 victory, and he’s gone on to amass an impressive 106 caps for the national team since then. In those appearances for the national team, Jonny Evans has scored six times.
In his club career, Evans had two spells with his childhood club Manchester United and also played for West Brom and Leicester City, achieving success with the latter by securing the FA Cup in 2021.
The latest MBE from Manchester United and Northern Ireland had this to say when he was asked to reflect on the honour he has been conferred with:
“When I got the letter through the door and it had the Royal seal on the back I was a bit shocked, but it was also amazing.”
“It made me feel very proud, especially when I saw that it was in recognition of my contribution to association football in Northern Ireland.
“It brought it home that playing more than 100 times for my country, and playing for so long for Northern Ireland, has been so good. I represented everyone in the country and had many good times along the way.”
Joining Jonny Evans in receiving a prestigious award was Arsenal’s very own Ian Wright, who was awarded an OBE. Rangers legend John Greig was also honored as a hero, and notable recognitions in the form of MBEs were bestowed upon former England rugby captain Sarah Hunter and football referee Amy Fearn.
Rashford reveals personal loss
Bruno Fernandes reached for the ball after Manchester United were awarded a penalty against Everton, but he then handed it over to Marcus Rashford, who put it past Jordan Pickford in a spectacular finish. The United captain commented later that he knew Rashford needed that goal, and he got it. Rashford later dedicated his goal against Everton to his late cousin after suffering a family tragedy and sharing the heartbreaking news of their recent passing on social media.
Rashford posted an image of himself looking up to the sky in celebration of the goal, accompanying it with the caption, “I would like to dedicate the goal yesterday to my cousin who recently passed away. GBNF.”
The goal played a pivotal role in securing all three points for United, propelling them to sixth place in the Premier League, just four points behind the top four. Rashford was entrusted with the penalty-taking duties by captain Bruno Fernandes, the usual taker for United.
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