The 28-year-old departed United last summer to seal a loan switch to Barcelona, and has enjoyed a remarkable campaign during his time in Spain. Rashford has netted 14 goals and laid on 14 assists across all competitions for the La Liga champions, with that stunning run of form proving instrumental in securing his England call-up for this summer’s World Cup. Following his inclusion in the squad, Rashford took to social media to share a message of gratitude, yet pointedly left United out of his acknowledgements.
“Special thanks to Unai [Emery], Hansi [Flick], Thomas [Tuchel], Aston Villa, Barcelona and England for believing in me when things got tough,” Rashford wrote in a post on his Instagram story.
Rashford’s post saw him express his gratitude towards Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, England head coach Tuchel, and Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, while making no mention of his former club United. The United loanee spent the latter half of last season on loan at Villa, and has not featured competitively for the Reds since December 2024.
Rashford also shared a lengthier message in an Instagram post following his call-up to the England squad, in which he reflected on his international career with the Three Lions to date.
“Today marks a full-circle moment for me, from despair to jubilation,” Rashford wrote. “Missing out on that Euros squad helped me grow both as a player and 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 shirt at the World Cup.”
The Portuguese captain wrote in the replies: “Well deserved my brother.” Rashford also received support from United’s Harry Maguire, who was surprisingly omitted from the England squad: “Love it mate, well deserved.”
Jordan Henderson and youngster JJ Gabriel were among the others to celebrate his post in the comments.
Rashford’s future nonetheless remains uncertain heading into the summer, with Barcelona yet to exercise the £26million option to sign the England international on a permanent basis from United.
The forward made clear his wish to depart United last year and has previously made known his desire to remain at Barcelona beyond the duration of his loan.