‘Hero’: Fans cover vandalised Rashford mural with love hearts

People in England have stepped up to defend footballer Marcus Rashford by covering the racist abuse scrawled on a mural to the Black player in his hometown with messages of love and support for a “hero” who they said was a national role model. Black players Rashford, 23, Jadon Sancho, 21, and Bukayo Saka, 19, were racially abused after they missed penalties in England’s shoot-out with Italy which settled Sunday’s Euro 2020 final. “We love you!” read one of the hundreds of small messages covering up the abuse on the mural to Rashford in the Withington area of Manchester. One pink heart was affixed on the mural with the simple word: “Hero.”