Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford was recognised at the ceremony with a Fifa Foundation award for his work trying to end child poverty in the UK.
Marcus Rashford has done more to combat child poverty in the UK than any politician has in the last 25 years, according to a councillor who believes the Manchester United forward should be awarded Freedom of the City.
Rashford has gone head-to-head with the UK Government over the issue amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 22-year-old successfully lobbied the government to provide free meals for underprivileged children during the summer holidays and criticised politicians this week for voting against extending the policy through until the Easter holidays next year.
Rashford said: “I’d like to say thank you because I know people from other countries want to get involved and learn about it. It will have a knock on effect and things will start to happen in other countries too.
“It is brilliant, it is why I started it because I wanted to make change and give people a better chance at life.”