Football
ESPN staff 7y

Spain's Hector Bellerin makes Grenfell Tower victims donation pledge

Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin has said he will donate £50 to victims of the Grenfell Tower fire for every minute he plays for Spain at the European Under-21 Championship.

Flames engulfed the 24-storey council housing structure in north Kensington in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Police have said that at least 58 people are missing presumed dead.

Bellerin is expected to start when Spain play Macedonia on Saturday. They will also face Portugal and Serbia in Group B.

The 22-year-old's eventual contribution could exceed £22,500 should Spain reach the final.

Bellerin's pledge follows Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling donating to help those affected.

Sterling grew up in north-west London and began his career in the youth team of Queens Park Rangers, whose Loftus Road Stadium is around a mile from the scene of the disaster.

England defender Ryan Bertrand also pledged to help the victims of the blaze, saying he would visit the local Rugby Portobello Trust next week.

The 27-year-old, who spent a decade on the books at west London club Chelsea before joining Southampton in 2015, said in a series of posts on his official Twitter account: "I went to Grenfell Tower yesterday.

"I want to help, not just donate. I can't think of all the answers but I can do what I feel is needed. Starting with rehousing the victims, and making sure they don't leave the W11 post code. And remain on the emergency housing list.

"Monday i will be around [the Rugby Portobello Trust] putting this plan into action. From 10:30am until progress has been made."

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