England get their European Under-21 Championship underway against France on Tuesday night, and on the eve of that match Leicester City’s James Maddison has unveiled a specially customised pair of PUMA ONE 19.1 that he will be wearing for the tournament.
Some friendships transcend age, as James Maddison found out when he walked out onto Carrow Road with five-year-old Sophie Taylor in his arms back in April 2018. The two became firm friends, with James visiting Sophie regularly, bringing a smile to her face as she battled osteosarcoma, a cancer of the bones. Sadly, Sophie lost her battle in January of this year, and now Maddison will be wearing a special pair of PUMA ONE 19.1 in the EURO U21 tournament in her memory.
Using the PUMA ONE 19.1 'Hacked Pack' as a base, they've been customised with a picture of Sophie, and the words "There is a new angel in Heaven”. The left boot then features a picture of Maddison’s goal celebration following his free-kick against Burnley in March, when he revealed a shirt that read “RIP Sophie I Love You". Maddison revealed the boots on social media, saying: “The unbelievably special football boots I will be wearing during the European Championships for England. My best friend always with me @SuperStrongSoph.”
A Go Fund Me page has been created by Sophie's family in her memory to raise money to support children that find themselves in similar positions to her.
