Matin Keown has stated that Marcus Rashford can become a talisman for England, while suggesting that the Man United star can emulate the likes of Gareth Bale, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
While England’s World Cup qualifying campaign may have bored you to death, and while you may be feeling more excited at the prospect of watching paint dry than supporting Gareth Southgate’s pragmatic side in Russia next summer – England will be there nevertheless – and, there is a silver lining to one of the dullest qualifying campaigns in history. That silver lining comes in the form of the 19-year-old Marcus Rashford.
It really is the British press at their vintage best pinning all our hopes and dreams on a teenager who probably doesn’t even know how to drive a car let alone drive a nation to a World Cup. However, Keown (and many others) really do seem to believe that Rashford is the real deal.
In his column for the Mail Online, the former England and Arsenal defender suggests that if given a chance to play in more of a central role that, “Rashford can be our Ronaldo.”
The youngster has already reached double-figures for goals in the Premier League and has impressed for England ever since making his debut for the Three Lions last year.
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Keown, who won 43 England caps between 1992 and 2002, also notes that Rashford needs to play in more of a central role to fulfill his potential.
He added: “all the best players — Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi — started as wingers at some point and Rashford just needs to drift a bit more central and express himself more coming off the touchline.”
These are certainly valid points as the starlet spent much of his time in United’s youth set-up as a central striker and is likely to need to make the move back to a central position soon if he doesn’t want to end up as a makeshift winger for the rest of his career like the disappointing Theo Walcott.
While Wayne Rooney may have only retired from international duty just a few months ago, it appears we have already found a replacement to pin all of our hopes, dreams and inevitable disappointment on. Will Rashford go on to deliver some much-needed glory to English football? Or, alternatively will he become another scapegoat for our short-fallings? It remains to be seen but there is certainly a rather heavy weight starting to settle on the teenager’s shoulders.