Under clear blue skies at St George’s Park, Mason Mount hosts a heartwarming event on his day off following Manchester United’s victory over Brentford. He manages Wishes United, a team of 11 children battling critical illnesses, with assistance from teammate Luke Shaw. The opposing side features mascots from Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Portsmouth, led by former player Jamie Redknapp.
Creating Magical Moments for Children
Mount eagerly declares, ‘I wanted to be Fred the Red,’ after witnessing the children outmaneuver mascots like Moonchester and Gunnersaurus Rex. He collaborated with his brother Lewis for 18 months to organize this, drawing inspiration from a previous Make-A-Wish UK event with Disney. ‘It really touched me, and it was tough to leave at the end,’ Mount recalls. ‘I’m a footballer, but there’s more to life than just football.’
The two-day immersive experience lets the children eat, sleep, and train like professional players. Highlights include chauffeured arrivals, sessions at England’s national facilities, overnight stays, and tunnel walks with video messages from favorite stars. Conor Gallagher even called in, and Mount personally funds the entire event. ‘Speaking to all the kids and meeting some of the families, it just means so much,’ he says. ‘It’s a little bit of time away that they can just come here and forget about things.’
Premier League Ambitions with Manchester United
Satisfied with the event, Mount shares his goals for Manchester United. ‘Yeah, it’s a goal: I want to win the Premier League,’ he affirms. Having secured the Champions League with Chelsea, he believes United can achieve it too. ‘It may seem a little far away, but you have to have that mentality to really push yourself as a group. We’ve shown what we can do against the big teams already – Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal.’
The recent FA Cup triumph provides a glimpse of success. ‘That was unbelievable. It was an amazing feeling. But to do a Premier League, I can’t even imagine how special that would be,’ Mount adds. He welcomes the challenges of a Champions League return next season after a shorter campaign. ‘It’s Manchester United. We don’t want to play 40 games a season. We want to play a lot more… United deserve to be in the Champions League, they need to be in the Champions League. The fans deserve it.’
Praise for Manager Michael Carrick
Mount endorses Michael Carrick’s leadership since taking charge in January. ‘You can see the way we play and how we’ve performed… I really like the way he works and the way he sees the game. He’s very level-headed and knows what he wants going into games.’ He appreciates Carrick’s calm demeanor and player insight. ‘He’s been brilliant for me personally,’ Mount notes, despite early injuries.
Injuries have limited Mount to 30 starts in three years at Old Trafford since his £60million move from Chelsea in 2023. Yet, he views this season as progress. ‘I’m in a really good position now to kick on… it’s definitely been a step in the right direction.’
Hopes for England National Team Recall
Mount aims to build on his 36 caps and return to the England squad under Thomas Tuchel after the World Cup, targeting the home Euros. ‘Thomas knows me as a player and as a person inside out,’ he says. ‘I think I was probably close at one point… But it’s the pinnacle to represent your country at a major tournament. I will be working extremely hard next season to really put myself in a great position to get back in.’
