Premier League players join Juan Mata's charity pledge

London (AFP) – Bournemouth’s Charlie Daniels and Swansea’s Alfie Mawson have become the first English players to pledge at least one percent of their wages to Juan Mata’s Common Goal project.

The Manchester United and Spain midfielder launched the initiative in August, which supports football-based projects around the world.

Giorgio Chiellini, Mats Hummels and Serge Gnabry are among those to have so far pledged to Common Goal, with Premier League players Daniels and Mawson now joining them.

“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,” said Mata.

“They are both top Premier League players and their commitment is a great step in the evolution of Common Goal.”

Daniels has helped Bournemouth rise from League One to the Premier League, while Mawson, 23, represented England at this year’s European Under-21 Championship after a fine first season at Swansea.

“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,” said Mawson. “It’s a good thing for football.”

Daniels, 31, 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.”

Common Goal is run by the Berlin-based organisation streetfootballworld, which invests in more than 120 football-based charities in 80 countries.