Daniels, Mawson Become First English Players to Join Mata's Common Goal Pledge
Bournemouth left-back Charlie Daniels and Swansea centre-back Alfie Mawson have become the first English players to pledge 1% of their salary to the Common Goal project - common-goal.org - which aims to support charities around the world and drive change through football.
Fellow Premier League star Juan Mata was the first to make the 1% pledge back in August, with Daniels and Mawson taking the number of individuals behind Common Goal to 12 in total.
As well as Mata, they join the likes of World Cup winners Mats Hummels and Giorgio Chiellini, female stars Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, and even Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann, who was the first coach on board when he signed up last weekend.
"I've experienced pretty much everything that you can live as a player in England, maybe that's why I'll never forget where I've come from," Daniels said.
"Football is such an important part of my life, as it is for so many people in this country. It just seems right that our national sport gives something back to society. Common Goal is the most effective and long-lasting way for players to make a difference.
"If my pledge can help spread the idea of Common Goal, especially among the younger players, then it will be one of the proudest achievements of my career."
The 23-year-old Mawson, who is one of the younger players to back Common Goal, said, "It was only a few years ago that I was playing non-league and helping out my Dad at the weekends with his market stall.
"I'm now at a great place and I want to concentrate 100% on my football. I don't want to cause any fuss or anything, but joining Common Goal allows me to focus on my career while forming part of something that can really help transform lives of those less fortunate."
Common Goal is the work of streetworldfootball, an NGO that has helped develop and support a global network of 120 local football charities over the last 15 years - working to positively affect the lives of some 2.3m disadvantaged young people at community level in as many as 80 countries worldwide, from India, to Colombia, to Germany, the United States and many more.
Ultimately, the long-term vision of Common Goal is to unlock 1% of the entire football industry's enormous revenue - conservatively believed to be worth around $30bn per year - to help fund grassroots charities that use football to strengthen communities.
Face of the project Mata said of the latest recruits, "I've been speaking to several English players who have shown an interest in Common Goal and it's brilliant that Charlie and Alfie are the first players to make the pledge. They are both top Premier League players and their commitment is a great step in the evolution of Common Goal."
Image by Jamie Spencer
Jürgen Griesbeck, Common Goal CEO added, "The fact that both Charlie and Alfie have reached the richest league in the world the hard way - coming up through the divisions - makes their joining Common Goal all the more authentic.
"Their stories are true to life, true to professional football and they are both perfect additions to Common Goal. We'll be sharing more news very soon."
