Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Rashford’s moving post-goal gesture for his tragic friend
day I die.” A primary school friend of Garfield, Tim Hamnett, 34, of Stretford in Manchester, said: “A lot of people are really upset and down at the minute but what Rashford did, and saying it was for Garf, cheered a lot of people up, especially a lot of our close friends.”
Mr Hamnett’s wife Kym, 33, said: “He was always in touch over the phone but if it was anything important he always turned up. He never missed anything. He was great. Such a happy person.”
She said he was like an uncle to her children Keelan, 10, and Oscar, six, and after the celebration they were “absolutely ecstatic, jumping about shouting, ‘Yes, Rashford you’ve done it for Garf ’.”
“That celebration... it’s just lifted everyone’s spirits. Even though it’s such a bad thing that’s happened, everyone is just so happy that Garf ’s been put out there.”
Meanwhile, Rashford’s fellow scorer Phil Foden spoke of his excitement at starting his first game of the World Cup. He said: “To get the chance to play and then score was special – it was one of the best feelings I have ever had.” On Sunday England, who have reached the final 16, are facing Senegal for the first time. Former Man City youth team coach Steve Eyre spoke in praise of Foden on the Three Lions podcast.
He said: “He was a stand out player, a stand out performer and a stand out personality.”