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Marcus Rashford called his retirement from England a “coming 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 revive his career, but did not mention Manchester United.
Rashford reflects on England return after difficult period
Rashford was delighted to be included in England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
The attacker was previously left out of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad and faced uncertainty over his international future before rediscovering 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, where he scored four goals in 17 appearances, before his summer loan move to the Catalan club, where he scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists to regain his place in the national team.
Rashford thanks Emery, Flick and Tuchel
The striker reacted to the announcement on social media and admitted that the disappointment of missing Euro 2024 became the driving force behind his return.
However, in expressing his gratitude to Villa and Barca, he notably omitted United from his statement, having endured a tumultuous period at the club before his eventual departure.
“Today marks for me a moment of closing the circle, from despair to joy,” he wrote on social media. “Lose that [2024] The Euro Cup squad helped me grow as a player and as a person and, most importantly, gave me a goal to work towards. Thank you very much for this opportunity and I can’t wait to put the jersey on at the World Cup.
He added: “Special thanks to Unai, Hansi, Thomas, Aston Villa, Barcelona and England for believing in me when things got difficult.”
However, the reaction to his post prompted a follow-up from Rashford, saying: “To make my IG story clear. This is not a dig of any kind! I am a MU supporter, and that remains.
“I was showing gratitude to the clubs and coaches I have worked with over the last 18 months.”
“They have played an important role in this [England] call.”
Tuchel marks the beginning of an era in New England
Tuchel’s first team for a major tournament included several high-profile omissions.
Harry Maguire, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold were left out of the final 26-man group in some of the team’s biggest upsets.
The Three Lions head to the World Cup under new leadership and with high expectations once again.
England prepares for Tuchel’s first major tournament
England will now begin preparations for the 2026 World Cup and Tuchel will look to quickly establish his preferred system and hierarchy within the team.
Rashford’s resurgence gives England another experienced attacking option alongside Harry Kane.
They will begin the tournament with a Group L match against Croatia on June 17, followed by group matches against Ghana and Panama.
FIFA World Cup 2026: How to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across 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 matches of the tournament will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34) and each match will be streamed live and on-demand on both FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, as will the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
