England footballer Marcus Rashford has won book of the year at the British Book Awards for his non-fiction debut.
You Are A Champion, which is intended to inspire young people, was chosen from the 12 individual category winners during the ceremony.
Rashford was named the winner at the event – nicknamed The Nibbies – at Grosvenor House in London.
Other winners included Marian Keyes, Sir Billy Connolly, Sir Paul McCartney and Sathnam Sanghera.
Rashford’s book, written with journalist Carl Anka, offers advice on how to achieve your potential and find success.
In a pre-recorded message, Rashford said: “Every child should pick up the book and believe that I wrote it for them.
“I want to give a huge thanks to [publisher] MacMillan for believing in me and believing in the process, and a big thanks to Carl as well because he played a massive role in the book being completed. Without him it wouldn’t have been able to run so smoothly.
“The reason I made the book and the purpose of the book was to give kids the opportunity that I never had but as I got older it is something that is really important.
He continued: “I think the way that the book has been perceived and the reception it has got and the actual words that I have heard from a lot of the kids – they have taken different stuff from the book, which is what I intended to do.
“I am really happy with it and hopefully it shows that if we can get books in the hands of children, it allows them to dream and believe in whatever they want to achieve in life.”
