​Manchester City midfielder Rico Lewis describes himself as a man of faith who is proud of his Christian beliefs, though he concedes this path was not always his first choice. “I’ve always loved history, and one day something clicked,” Lewis told BBC Sport. “I thought, why don’t I learn about Jesus? Why don’t I find out about the Bible? I started reading from a place of curiosity, to investigate, and as soon as I did, I think God touched my heart. It changed my life and ever since I’ve not looked back.” He added that his wife’s upbringing in the Christian faith had a strong influence on their life together, and that their personal devotion has deepened over time. “My wife was brought up believing in Jesus, but we have both increased our practice of our faith—more than we would have otherwise—because I didn’t believe before. But leaning on each other, with the same end goal, is all that matters. It has helped us a lot in our life and in our relationship.” Lewis, who confirmed that his marriage to Ameliia took place on Tuesday, said his faith has brought an outward transformation that extends beyond his private life and into how he views the world.
Since embracing his faith, Lewis has become more attuned to the suffering of others. “Since I’ve become a man of faith, I’ve become more conscious of people’s suffering,” he explained. “I walk through Manchester, realising how many people are struggling with homelessness. It’s impossible to know why each person is in the situation they’re in, but I’ve always wanted to help those who are helpless.” Manchester is grappling with a high rate of homelessness, a challenge reflected in a December report by Shelter, the homelessness support charity, which found that the city hosts nearly 10,000 people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation—roughly one in every 61 residents.
Motivated to take action, Lewis decided to mobilize his efforts for the cause. He joined forces with local rapper Nemzzz to organize a football tournament designed to raise funds for homelessness charities in Manchester. “I was already planning to do something to help—whether a cash donation or a food delivery service—but my friends and I have previously hosted football tournaments,” he said. “Bringing those ideas together, uniting people in Manchester, while raising awareness—along with money—felt like the best way to achieve our goal.” The event featured a star-studded lineup and took place on 28 June at Manchester’s National Speedway Stadium, where Manchester City and England midfielder Phil Foden led out a team that nevertheless exited the competition in the semi-finals, despite including the former PFA Footballer of the Year.
The event also drew support from Southampton midfielder Shea Charles, who had just completed an impressive Championship campaign, and his brother Pierce Charles. Both players are former Manchester City academy products and current Northern Ireland internationals. Their side reached the final but were ultimately defeated on penalties. Also in attendance was Kaden Braithwaite, who captained Manchester City’s Under-18s to an FA Youth Cup triumph earlier in the season.
In all, the charity football day underscored Lewis’s belief that faith should translate into tangible action. He emphasized that his motivation was to help those less fortunate while fostering community cohesion in a city wrestling with housing insecurity. By leveraging his platform as a Premier League player, Lewis aims to shine a light on homelessness and contribute to practical solutions, whether through fundraising, volunteering, or encouraging others to get involved. He hopes that the event will serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives in other cities, proving that unified communities can make a meaningful difference in addressing the pressures faced by people without stable housing.