A graduate who organised the world’s longest football match has been nominated for the Recorder/Rotary young citizen award.

Kindhearted Ricardo Braganza, of Trafford Close, Hainault, raised �33,000 by organising a 60-hour football marathon to raise money for the charity Breast Cancer Campaign after his mother Madhu was diagnosed with the illness two years ago.

Mr Braganza, 22, who graduates from Loughborough University this summer, visited Buckingham Palace last week for tea with the Queen as recognition of his mammoth fundraising efforts.

He told the Recorder: “I spent most of the summer last year organising the match and it was a lot of hard work.

“When we played the weather was horrendous and we had lots of injuries. One guy ended up playing for 36 hours without realising he had a broken foot.

“But at the end we just had the amazing feeling and Sky Sports News turned up to spur us on.”

Charity collections and running marathons have helped Mr Braganza to break all his fundraising targets.

Earlier this year he ran the London Marathon in under four hours for the campaign.

As well as the Young Citizen Award, sponsored by Exchange Ilford, Mr Braganza has been nominated to carry the Olympic flame with Lloyds TSB next year thanks to his charity work.

Proud

Mrs Braganza, who is now recovering from her illness, said she was immensely proud of her son’s efforts.

She added: “When he first said he wanted to organise the football match I didn’t realise how much he would raise. He took everything on himself and I was completely surprised by his efforts.

“I know he is going to carry on his efforts, and he says he will keep doing the marathons too. I am really proud.”