Serge Gnabry has become one of six players to sign up to the initiative started by Juan Mata, donating one percent of his wages to charity.
The former Gunner joins Mata in pledging to the cause, as well as Mats Hummels, Giorgio Chiellini, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.
He said of his decision: “I’m still in the early stages of what I hope will be a long career. When I look back on my footballing journey in years to come, I want to be able to say that I left a positive mark both on and off the pitch,” reports ESPN.
“My pledge may not change the world by itself. But by coming together behind a shared mission I think players can make a real difference. I want to help make Common Goal part of football. I want to help football feel good about itself again.
“I’m proud of my Ivorian roots and know how much football means to the people over there. The thought of using the game as a tool to create social change across the country is something that really inspires me.”
Common Goal is an initiative set up to allocate one percent of footballers’ wages to the football charities that their website says “create the greatest impact worldwide”. Obviously the more players that sign up, the more effective the campaign will be.
One percent of one player’s wages means it takes a hundred people signing up before you’re contributing the same amount as one footballer receives each week. Plus player wages vary pretty wildly in football. If Neymar signed up it could be worth the same as about 10 players from a mid-table Premier League club.
However, at this stage it’s as much about sending a message to the other players rather than the amount they’re actually donating. Maybe Gnabry’s contribution won’t be as large as some others, but him joining Hummels as the second German player to get involved could well convince someone like Mesut Özil or Toni Kroos to join in.
And the more it spreads, the better.