A controversial footballer with a huge heart

Barcelona"I'm Marcus Rashford, a Black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else, I have this." The new Barça signing wrote in a statement on social media after missing a penalty in the 2021 European Championship final and having to endure racist comments. This is just one of the many obstacles the English footballer has had to overcome, arriving in Barcelona under scrutiny due to his off-field issues at Manchester United.

A player concerned with social issues who has led several battles against racism, poverty, and child hunger. "He led a campaign during the COVID pandemic to provide free food for children from poor families and managed to change government policy," explains sources from England. Rashford, who sent an open letter to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he withdrew aid for low-income families, has always been mindful of his Manchester roots.

Born in the suburbs of the English city, in a BBC interview he explained how he lived his childhood. "We went to a store called Pound World, where everything cost less than one pound." pound (just over a euro). We made a schedule for the week and knew we had to eat one yogurt a day. And so it was with everything." Her constant fight against inequalities, with campaigns like In the box, where he delivered essential food to the homeless, earned him the distinction of Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 2021, a recognition for his charity work.

In this new stage at Barça, Rashford will leave England for the first time. Furthermore, he will do so at the age of 27, at a stage that is surely his greatest footballing maturity. "He's a kid who cares a lot about football and when he returns to play at the highest level he will surely bring out the best in himself. However, he will have to accept that he will be a substitute," says another source from his native country. One of the main problems at Manchester United was the high salary he was receiving, which has been cut for joining Barça, and the poor example he set both in training and in matches.

Rashford's B-side

Aside from his work fighting inequality (racism, poverty, and child hunger), the English player has also been in the news for his attitude issues. "United fans lost patience a long time ago with his performances on the pitch, his lifestyle off the pitch, and his social media posts and interviews at a time when it was perhaps better to say nothing," they confess from the British Isles. The same source adds some notable issues from his time at Old Trafford. "His lifestyle isn't the best. Several incidents have led to him being dropped or fined by the coaches."

Rashford's last major issue came in January 2024. According to the Daily MailThe footballer went out partying in Belfast (Northern Ireland) the night before a training session. Despite returning to Manchester in the morning, the player claimed to be sick and missed the session. This behavior angered his teammates and manager Erik ten Hag, who left him out of the squad for the following match. Months earlier, he had already been in the spotlight of the press after going out to celebrate his birthday just after losing 3-0 to Manchester City. Something the Dutch manager described as "unacceptable."

A car accident, from which he emerged unharmed, and arriving late to meetings are other situations Rashford has experienced throughout his career with the Red Devils, where he has also not played a leading role under Rubén Amorim. "I would put the 64-year-old goalkeeping coach before a player who doesn't give his all every day," the Portuguese manager once said of the English footballer. Now, while Rashford's lifestyle isn't ideal for a top-flight footballer, the instability the English club has experienced in recent years hasn't helped him stand out either. "In the locker room, he's a calm and distant person. His friends have been Lingard, Pogba, Sancho... all players who have also had problems on and off the pitch," they point out from England, adding that he isn't a leader.

On his own, he has sought to demonstrate his dedication with videos on social media in which he praises his "hard work." "When he was removed from United training, he didn't just want to train in the mornings, but also in the afternoons, even if he was alone," explains the English source, who notes that he has the qualities of top-level players like Van Dijk or Salah, but not their character. However, "he's a winner and will want to prove people wrong."