Rashford England cameo shows why Ronaldo is finished at Man Utd

Suraj Radia

• 21 Nov 2022 16:13 GMT
• 2 min read

England began their World Cup campaign with a resounding win over Iran, with Marcus Rashford’s goalscoring cameo showcasing why Manchester United need to be more concerned about his future than Cristiano Ronaldo’s.

Rashford came off the bench to net England’s fifth goal of a 6-2 win in his first appearance for Gareth Southgate’s side since his penalty shootout heartbreak against Italy in Euro 2020.

The United forward showed composure in the box to slot the ball past Iran’s keeper and make it four goals in his last seven games for club and country.

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With Ronaldo likely to leave Old Trafford in January following his controversial interview, Rashford resurgence to form will fill United with confidence, as well as have them looking over their shoulder.

Rashford’s deal is set to expire in the summer and, while United have an option to extend for a year, he was wanted by Paris Saint-Germain in the summer and the French side could renew their interest next year.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, will be desperate to put himself in the shop window when his Portugal side face off against Ghana in their opening game on Thursday.

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This time last year, Rashford was coming off the back of missing a decisive penalty for England and in a spell of disastrous form combined with niggling injuries.

However, the 25-year-old has already bettered his goal tally from last season and appears to be displaying the bright ability that saw him burst into the limelight as a youngster.

Rashford was projected to play a limited role in Qatar but his performance could see him rewarded with a start against the USA in England’s next game.

United will be desperate for Rashford to return after the break confident and match fit, with Ronaldo likely to have played his last game for the club.

Outside of Ronaldo, Rashford and Brazil’s Antony are the only United forwards playing at the World Cup and Erik ten Hag will need his attacking players to prove their quality in order to be comfortable severing ties with Ronaldo.

However, the Red Devils know that a good World Cup for Rashford will only further ignite interest in his services, meaning they need to resolve his long-term future or risk losing out on a homegrown talent who appears to be reaching his peak.