Rashford snubs Man Utd but thanks Emery and Flick after England call

England v Brazil - International Friendly

Marcus Rashford called his England recall a “full-circle moment” after overcoming recent setbacks to make Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad. The forward thanked Unai Emery and Hansi Flick for helping revive his career, but made no mention of Manchester United.

Rashford reflects on England return after difficult period

Rashford was delighted to be named in England's 2026 World Cup squad. 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 for 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 has struck 14 times and provided 14 assists to regain his place in the national team.

Rashford thanks Emery, Flick and Tuchel

The forward reacted to the announcement on social media and admitted the disappointment of missing Euro 2024 became a driving force in his comeback. In expressing his gratitude to Villa and Barca, however, he noticeably omitted United from 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. "Missing out on that [2024] 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.

He added: "Special thanks to Unai, Hansi, Thomas, Aston Villa, Barcelona and England for believing in me when things got tough."

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 group in some of the biggest selection surprises. The Three Lions head into the World Cup under new leadership with expectations high once again.

England v Latvia - European Qualifiers Group K - FIFA World Cup 2026

England prepare 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 within the squad. Rashford’s resurgence gives England another experienced attacking option alongside Harry Kane. They will kick off the tournament with a Group L match against Croatia on June 17, followed by group matches against Ghana and Panama.