James Maddison to wear special boots in honour of 'little warrior' Sophie Taylor

James Maddison will wear the boots in Italy. Credit: James Maddison/Instagram

Former Norwich City midfielder James Maddison will wear a special pair of boots at this month's European under 21s Championships in honour of a little girl from Norfolk who recently died of cancer.

Five-year-old Sophie Taylor from Sprowston became best friends with Maddison before she passed away in January.

As a tribute to their special bond, Leicester City star Maddison will wear boots emblazoned with her face on them while he's representing England at the Championships in Italy.

The boots have been manufactured by Puma and Maddison wrote on social media that they were "unbelievably special."

The right boot carries the words: "There is a new angel in heaven."

Sophie was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer called osteosarcoma in 2018 but fought hard against the disease.

She was a mascot for some matches at Carrow Road when Maddison was a Norwich player, and the two of them continued their friendship even after he moved to Leicester in a £25 million deal last summer.