Marcus Rashford's book You Are A Champion won book of the year at the British Book Awards

Marcus Rashford has won book of the year at the British Book Awards.The Manchester United forward, 24, released his book You Are A Champion last year. The book aims to inspire young people to reach their full potential.You Are A Champion was chosen from 12 individual category winners at Grosvenor House in London.

Accepting the award 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 added: "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."

Other winners at the event included Sir Paul McCartney Marian Keyes,Sathnam Sanghera, and Sir Billy Connolly.The judging panel consisted of broadcaster Gabby Logan, short story and novel writer Irenosen Okojie andassociate editor of books for The Observer New Review, Lisa O'Kelly.

Logan said: "Marcus Rashford wanted a book to inspire a generation of kids who are often hard to reach and for whom books might not have been a big part of their childhood.

"He and his publisher have succeeded spectacularly. The campaign to get his book into the right young hands was focused and brilliant, and sales of over 200,000 copies are testament to this.

"The messaging of You Are A Champion is wholesome and positive and another brilliant example of the legacy that Marcus is sure to leave behind when his playing days are long gone."