Former England winger says Marcus Rashford is the Three Lions participant he’s “most psyched about” on the upcoming World Cup.
Rashford was unnoticed of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad and didn’t play for his nation for 12 months between March 2024 and 2025.
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Re-introduced by Thomas Tuchel, he has featured in each Three Lions squad beneath the German aside from in June 2025 when a hamstring damage dominated him out.
A mortgage spell at , the place he scored 14 objectives and registered 14 assists in 47 video games for the La Liga champions, has revitalised the 28-year-old ahead’s profession.
He began over on Saturday and whereas Tuchel stated there have been “no hidden messages” inside his first-half line-up, Walcott believes Rashford has to start out on the World Cup.
“Rashford this 12 months has been excellent,” Walcott stated on The Wayne Rooney Present.
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“I’ve watched him rather a lot. I discovered the love of watching Barcelona once more and took extra of an curiosity with Rashford going on the market. It has been nice for him.
“He could be a useless cert to start out for me. The best way he is performed, that freedom, that enjoyment. We need to see that smile.”
Rashford was England’s vibrant spark within the first half in opposition to New Zealand, creating 5 possibilities.
“Rashford’s going to be a significant a part of this match,” Walcott added. “I am wanting ahead to watching him. Out of all of the gamers, I am most psyched about him.
“I feel he is courageous to go overseas – it is nice when English gamers go. I wasn’t courageous sufficient, however for him to try this reveals good character.”
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Walcott and Rashford solely shared the pitch collectively as soon as for England, each approaching as second-half substitutes in a pleasant in opposition to in November 2016 [Getty Images]
In opposition to New Zealand, Rashford was changed at half-time by new Barcelona signing as Tuchel switched all 11 gamers for the second half.
His membership future remains to be unsure with Barca but to make his mortgage transfer from Manchester United everlasting.
The Catalan membership have a deadline of 15 June – two days earlier than England’s World Cup opener in opposition to – to activate a clause to set off a £26m deal.
Rooney is United’s all-time main scorer and stated the decline of Rashford’s Outdated Trafford profession was unhappy.
“I feel it is a disgrace that he left Manchester United – he is a Manchester lad,” Rooney stated. “He is the one participant who’s obtained an opportunity to get my document there.
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“Information are there for somebody to interrupt and for a Manchester lad to do it, I feel could be nice. However over the previous couple of years, he hasn’t been current there. We all know what an excellent participant he’s, so he most likely wanted that change. It is a disgrace to see it go the way in which it has as a result of I might nonetheless love him there.”
‘England can win it’
Rooney and Walcott have been joined on the present by because the trio reminisced on their time with England.
For his or her penultimate pleasant, Tuchel’s aspect have been with out quartet , , and after their Premier League title win and the Champions League remaining.
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With three of ‘s Europa League winners additionally within the squad, plus ‘s Convention League-winning goalkeeper , Defoe believes gamers successful trophies at membership stage can solely assist England on the World Cup.
“They have match expertise now,” he stated. “Not solely match expertise, however attending to finals, being in touching distance. So the squad have to enter it assured.
“They should imagine that they will recover from the road. They should imagine they will compete in opposition to different nations. We are able to discuss and , however they will be speaking about England. I am certain they are going to be speaking about England being certainly one of their favourites with the gamers that we have got.”
Rooney has spoken beforehand about a few of Tuchel’s call-ups for his World Cup squad and his at ‘s omission.
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However he stated England followers and ex-players should belief the supervisor.
“He is clearly thought of what squad he’ll decide and why,” Rooney stated.
“There will probably be the explanation why he hasn’t taken or or Maguire and why he is taken others – however I belief him. He is a high supervisor, he is aware of what’s at stake and he is picked a squad that he thinks can compete to win the World Cup.
“I might have made a few totally different selections than he has however that is why he is England supervisor. He’s there to make these selections. We simply should again him.”
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Tuchel is bidding to change into the primary England supervisor since Sir Alf Ramsey to win the World Cup and finish a 60-year wait.
“I feel deep down he believes he can do it,” Walcott stated, “in any other case he would not have dedicated to this. It may be robust, however you have to imagine. I feel: ‘Why not? Why cannot they?'”
“England can win – there is no doubting that,” Rooney added. “You want a little bit of luck alongside the way in which however I feel you’ve got obtained a high supervisor, a very good squad and also you want every part to be proper. If that is the case, we will actually win it.”