The Young Footballers Behind England's X2 Collection

Well-wishes and personal stories from the young players would soon reach the palms of the England national team, thanks to an opportunity with Nike and its youth-sport community partner FBB.

Nike and FBB have been official partners since 2019, when the Swoosh invested in the nonprofit to help some 3,000 young people from underserved UK communities with mentorship, state-of-the-art facilities and leadership programs. FBB also offers intangible support to its players, building a community for the participants and providing mentors and coaches dedicated to aiding them through some of the most vulnerable years of their lives.

Esme, Darcie, Marcus, Emanuel, Izzy and Noah are all FBB participants in northern England. As we sit in FBB’s office in Manchester ranking our favorite potato chips, it’s clear how the organization has helped these individuals become well-rounded people, confident and assured. Despite having a new adult in their ranks, they’re quick to make me feel welcome, excitedly showing me the facilities, asking about my travels, and telling me about their own journeys through FBB. 

As we enter a classroom, the players’ energy picks up as they look at Nike x Palace bespoke envelopes and letterhead spread across a table. FBB’s work is done within local communities, but the outcome of this particular project will propel these young people’s voices globally.

This moment comes as Nike is celebrating and recognizing FBB by featuring the organization’s logo on England's “The Three Lions by Palace” jersey within their X2 collaboration collection, which the team wore in a friendly match ahead of this summer’s tournament. While football fans worldwide watched the most star-studded teams, they were also introduced to FBB. 

After I ask the young players about the effect this organization has had on their lives, Noah tells me that he loves starting his week with his FBB session. He describes how the program has been pivotal in his growth; from meeting new people to finding confidence in himself to having a space where he can “escape from everything,” FBB has solidified his love for football while showing him that there is more to learn from it. 

You see that in the hard numbers: FBB’s latest impact report shows that 97 percent of its participants stayed in school, and they also passed their high school exams at a rate up to 10 times higher than peers in national comparison groups. Three in five FBB participants improved their behavior in school, and two in three reported that their mental well-being improved or stabilized.

“These young people are at a time when they are finding themselves,” says FBB Deputy Chief Executive Ceylon Andi Hickman, who has been at the organization for more than eight years. “We create a space and tools for them to do that.”

This holistic support is exactly what Nike wants to invest in too, says Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Nike VP & Chief Impact Officer. "Sport can be transformational for youth. That’s exactly why we’re investing in amazing partners like Football Beyond Borders, who support these young athletes, on and off the pitch,” says Garcia-Brito. "We work with more than 200 community organizations around the world to create a future of youth sport that invites all kids in and makes play more accessible, fun and inclusive. It’s an honor to celebrate their work in our neighborhoods and communities globally on the world’s biggest stage for the beautiful game. The impact will be enduring.”

Today, that empowerment sees 12-year-old Emanuel get to write to defender John Stones, a pivotal player for the club Emanuel — a football lover through and through — supports. Emanuel’s progress through FBB is evident at this moment. He has the self-assurance to pen a letter to someone he cares about, and the thoughtfulness to speak to their shared similarities. “I’m quite calm, and I think he is too,” says Emanuel. “So I would suggest some calming music before kick-off.”

One beautiful thing about FBB’s work is the connections it creates and the belief in potential that it instills in its players. I’ve seen it firsthand, as a previous mentor for the organization. I watched young people realize, some for the first time, that other people could believe in and want the best for them, both in the game and in their everyday life. That gentle reminder that someone has your back is a real comfort, whether it’s in the form of mentorship or simply an adult asking you how your day is going. That’s a constant that FBB offers. My FBB mentee and I, for example, are still in contact today. Seeing the strong and confident person he has become, I know that this group can follow in his steps.

One young player who stands out in particular is 13-year-old Izzy, who wrote her letter to Jordan Henderson. 

While she gives her family thanks for her love for Liverpool, she reflects on why FBB has become so important to her. The organization has instilled a sense of teamwork, she says, and a feeling that she and the other players are accomplishing something together. 

Izzy’s advice for Henderson rang true and also held meaning for herself: “Just try your best, because that’s always good enough.” In a time when young people are under increasing pressure, the work done by FBB is reiterating this positive message. They are enough, they are able, they are deserving. 

The young players’ letters were all intentional, maybe none more so than 13-year-old Marcus’, who penned a letter to his namesake, Marcus Rashford. The younger Marcus has an infectious love for the game; he arrived to this letter writing, in fact, straight from a friendly FBB football match. 

Rashford’s journey has been well documented, and young Marcus has been following it. His joy in writing to the star forward is evident in the way he shows off his notebook from Play Forward, a development program created by Rashford for FBB, and it’s based on self-belief and resilience. 

Marcus was specific in describing how he wanted Rashford to reflect on his importance, mirroring how FBB has helped him do the same. “Society has pushed stuff onto us,” Marcus writes. “It might not be noticeable at first, but it definitely affects a person’s personality.” There are many adults who wouldn’t be able to detail so vividly how they felt, let alone convey a message of liberation to one of their sport idols.

While this day’s activity was novel and exciting, the weight and power of FBB is in the everyday ways it serves its young athletes. As Esme put it, “FBB helps me feel more like myself and gives me a safe space to talk to people. Every young person deserves to feel that way.”

It’s not far-fetched to envision a world in which the future England Football team is filled with former participants from FBB. Moments like this, along with the always-on work the organization provides, serve as key reminders that all kids can have that dream.