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Marcus Rashford called his England recall a “full-circle moment” after overcoming recent setbacks to make Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
The striker thanked Unai Emery and Hansi Flick for helping to revive his career, but did not mention Manchester United.
Rashford reflects on England’s return from a difficult spell
Rashford was delighted to be named in England’s 2026 World Cup squad.
The forward was previously left out of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad and faced uncertainty over his international future before recapturing his best form after moving to Barcelona on loan from United.
He credited his recent experiences with helping him grow both personally and professionally ahead of the tournament, including loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona.
He spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign at Villa, scoring four goals in 17 appearances before his summer loan move to the Catalan club, where he has struck 14 times and provided 14 assists to regain his place in the national team.
Rashford Thanks to Emery, Flick and Tuchel
Reacting to the announcement on social media, the striker admitted that the disappointment of missing out on Euro 2024 became a driving force in his comeback.
Expressing his gratitude to Villa and Barca, however, he noticeably left United out of his statement, having endured a tumultuous spell at the club before his eventual exit.
“Today marks a full-circle moment for me, from despair to jubilation,” he wrote on social media. “You miss it [2024] The Euros squad helped me grow both as a player and as a person and most importantly gave me a goal to work towards. Thank you so much for this opportunity and I can’t wait to pull on the jersey at the World Cup.
He added: “Special thanks to Unai, Hansi, Thomas, Aston Villa, Barcelona and England for believing in me when things got tough.”
However, the reaction to his post prompted a follow-up from Rashford, which read: “To make my IG story clear. It’s not a dig of any kind! I’m a MU supporter and it’s continued.
“I showed gratitude to the clubs and coaches that I have worked with over the last 18 months.”
“They have played a big role in this [England] call.”
Tuchel ushers in a New England era
Tuchel’s first major tournament squad included several high-profile omissions.
Harry Maguire, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all left out of the final 26-man squad in some of the biggest selection surprises.
The Three Lions enter the WC under new management with high expectations again.
England are preparing for Tuchel’s first major tournament
England will now begin preparations for the 2026 World Cup with Tuchel aiming to quickly establish his preferred system and hierarchy in the squad.
Rashford’s resurgence gives England another experienced attacking option alongside Harry Kane.
They start the tournament with a Group L match against Croatia on June 17, followed by group games against Ghana and Panama.
2026 FIFA World Cup: How to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread over three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game streaming live and on-demand on both FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, are televised in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opener between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as will the USA’s June 12 opener against Paraguay (9 p.m. ET).
