Defoe dedicates OBE to Bradley Lowery

The story of Bradley Lowery was one that touched football fans across the world, as the young boy battled a rare type of cancer.

Lowery was a huge fan of Jermaine Defoe, who was playing for Sunderland at the time, and the two struck up a close relationship.

Defoe was at Buckingham Palace on Friday to accept an OBE from Prince Charles for the work he has done through the Jermain Defoe Foundation, and he wanted to remember Bradley on such an important occasion.

"There's so many people I can thank, like my mum, my sister, people involved in the foundation," the former England striker told 'Sky Sports'.

"The volunteers, people involved in the shoebox appeal. All those that worked for the foundation over the years,

"I would love to dedicate this amazing day, this OBE to my little friend Bradley, everyone knows the relationship I had with Bradley. I've got this for the Jermain Defoe Foundation but above all of that I think it's the relationship I had with him that was special.

"You never expect to receive any award, so to receive something like this, of course it still hurts. I've got some great memories of Bradley, but to receive something like this today, it makes me feel good."