Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford is in the England squad ahead of this summer’s World Cup and his Three Lions teammate has praised him going into the tournament
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is with the England squad ahead of the World Cup(Image: Getty Images)
Ollie Watkins has hailed Manchester United forward and former Aston Villa teammate Marcus Rashford as the player that has ‘surprised’ him the most in training.
The duo were together at Villa during the second half of the 2024/25 season, when United allowed Rashford to leave the club and join the West Midlands side on loan.
Rashford, 28, impressed during his time at Villa Park, scoring four goals and providing six assists in 17 appearances. Most notably, Rashford starred in the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain and helped the Villans reach the semi-final of the FA Cup.
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However, Unai Emery’s men opted against signing Rashford on a permanent deal and he instead got a ‘dream’ move to Barcelona on loan for the season. And it’s safe to suggest he flourished out in La Liga, with Rashford netting 14 goals and adding a further 14 assists in 49 matches.
While Rashford’s long-term future is uncertain – with Barca toying on triggering the £26million option to buy him for good – his form for the Catalan side has earned him a place in the England squad for the World Cup.
Rashford is part of a competitive Three Lions squad ahead of this summer’s tournament in North America and he has been the most ‘surprising’ player in training, according to Villa talisman Watkins.
Marcus Rashford during a Barcelona game(Image: David Ramos/Getty Images)
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand Presents on YouTube, Watkins said: “Surprised me the most? It’s different, because there’s so many good players. So like, in the rondos, like, I’m like, you don’t want to go, like, I look at who’s going in a certain rondo, and then I go, I’m not going there.
“No, but like, Rashy (Rashford) is… like, in a rondo as well. Like, sometimes I’m on the outside, and he does something over there, and he’s sending me, and I’m not even in the middle. So I would say him.”
Watkins added: “I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“There was times (at Villa) where, like, I was on the bench, and he was keeping me out of the team, and I was frustrated, not because, not about him. It was just, I just wanted to play, but I could understand it, you know?
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“There was times where, like, the PSG game, he absolutely ripped them apart. And I’m on the sideline, I’m thinking, I shouldn’t come on there, really.
“Because he’s, no, no, but I’m honest like that. Like, I don’t have an ego. Like, I thought he was, because you read things and stuff like that, but I knew Marcus’s talent, and I knew that the manager would get the best out of him. And to be fair, he did. And like, he was unbelievable. His ability is, yeah, it’s frightening.”
Rashford and Watkins are in the England squad ahead of the World Cup and are in Miami, Florida for a training camp going into Saturday’s warm-up game against New Zealand. The Three Lions then face Costa Rica four days later before their first game of the tournament against Ghana seven days later.
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