Marcus Rashford MBE is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for both Manchester United in the Premier League and the England national team.
Early life and Education
Marcus Rashford, born on October 31, 1997, in Manchester, grew up in the Fallowfield, Withington, and Wythenshawe areas of the city. He has Jamaican heritage from his father’s side and Kittitian heritage from his mother, whose mother was born on the island of Saint Kitts. Rashford comes from a working-class background; his mother, Melanie Maynard, a single parent, often worked multiple jobs and sometimes skipped meals to ensure her children were fed. He has four older siblings: brothers Dwaine Maynard and Dane Rashford, who later became his professional representatives, and sisters Chantelle and Claire. He is also a cousin of Lois Maynard, a midfielder for Radcliffe.
A lifelong supporter of Manchester United, Rashford grew up in a family divided between supporting United and their local rivals, Manchester City. He attended Ashton-on-Mersey School, where Manchester United has sent their academy players since 1998, located near their Carrington training ground. There, Rashford studied for a BTEC National Diploma in Sport.
Career
Marcus Rashford began his football journey with Fletcher Moss Rangers at the age of five, initially playing as a goalkeeper and idolizing former Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard. According to Dave Horrocks, the academy development officer at Fletcher Moss Rangers, Rashford stood out as exceptionally talented, contributing significantly to his team’s success in a tournament observed by 15 scouts from various clubs.
At seven, Rashford joined Manchester United’s academy, having briefly trained with Manchester City and attracted interest from Everton and Liverpool. He credits his brothers for helping him choose United. Former United youth coach Paul McGuinness recognized Rashford’s potential early on due to his athleticism. However, Rashford often missed training because of transportation issues while his family was at work, until youth coaches Dave Bushell, Eamon Mulvey, and Tony Whelan arranged drivers for him.
At 11, Rashford became the youngest player selected for Manchester United’s Schoolboy Scholars scheme, usually reserved for those aged 12 and above. He played cage football with older players like Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, and Ravel Morrison, which significantly improved his skills. In 2012, he was part of United’s under-15 squad that finished second in the Marveld tournament, and in 2014, The Guardian named him United’s best prospect in their Next Generation list.
Rashford first trained with United’s first team at 16 under David Moyes during the 2013–14 season, gaining valuable experience. In 2015, Nicky Butt praised Rashford’s performances for the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League, leading to Rashford’s impressive scoring run in the under-18 Premier League and Youth League. Butt awarded him the captaincy, recognizing his leadership qualities.
Rashford was first named on United’s first-team bench on November 21, 2015, under Louis van Gaal. In February 2016, a loan bid from Crewe Alexandra was rejected. Rashford’s first-team debut came on February 25, 2016, in a Europa League match against Midtjylland, where he scored twice, becoming United’s youngest scorer in European competition at that time.
Three days later, Rashford made his Premier League debut against Arsenal, scoring twice and assisting another goal. Van Gaal praised his performance but advised caution against overhyping the young talent. Rashford made history in March 2016 by scoring the only goal in the Manchester derby, becoming the youngest scorer in the fixture’s Premier League era. He continued to deliver crucial goals, including in the FA Cup, helping United secure their 12th FA Cup win. Rashford ended the season with eight goals in 18 appearances and signed a new contract with United.
For the 2016–17 season, Rashford was assigned the number 19 jersey by new manager José Mourinho. Despite competition from Zlatan Ibrahimović, Rashford made significant contributions, including key goals in the EFL Cup, Premier League, and Europa League, where United won the title. He was the player with the most appearances for United that season.
Rashford’s second full senior season started with a UEFA Super Cup appearance and continued with impactful performances in the Premier League and Champions League. Despite challenges, including competition from new signing Alexis Sánchez, Rashford delivered critical goals and assists, earning praise from Solskjær for his potential to become one of the best strikers in the world.
Throughout 2019, Rashford continued to excel, scoring crucial goals in the Premier League and Champions League. His performances earned him several accolades, including United’s Player of the Month and Premier League Player of the Month titles. Rashford’s decisive penalty against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16 and his continued goal-scoring under Solskjær’s management highlighted his growth as a key player for Manchester United.
On 1 July 2019, Rashford signed a four-year contract extension with Manchester United, keeping him at the club until June 2023, with an option for an additional year. He began the season strongly, scoring twice in the opening match against Chelsea. However, in September, despite a period of poor form, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær expressed confidence in Rashford’s abilities. By late October, Rashford’s form improved as he scored against Liverpool, breaking their 17-match winning streak, and continued with notable performances against Norwich City and Chelsea. This resurgence led to his most prolific run, scoring 16 goals in 20 matches, culminating in another brace against Norwich. Unfortunately, Rashford suffered a double stress fracture to his back in January 2020, sidelining him for several months. Despite this, he became the fourth youngest United player to reach 200 appearances.
The season paused in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in June with matches played behind closed doors. Rashford returned to fitness and scored his first post-restart goal in July, finishing the season with 17 league goals, a career high. He was third in the voting for the English FWA Footballer of the Year and received the PFA Merit Award.
In the 2020-21 season, Rashford scored in United’s opener against Brighton & Hove Albion and netted the winner against PSG in the Champions League. He followed this with his first United hat-trick in a win over RB Leipzig, becoming the sixth United player to score a Champions League hat-trick. Despite suffering a shoulder injury in November, Rashford continued to play, reaching 50 Premier League goals in December. He played a key role in United’s climb to the top of the league in January 2021 and scored in a record-equalling 9-0 win over Southampton. Rashford made his 250th United appearance in February but continued to struggle with injuries, leading to surgery after the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, ruling him out until October 2021.
Rashford returned to training in October and scored on his return against Leicester. In January 2022, he scored a last-minute winner against West Ham, setting a Premier League record for most last-minute winners. Despite a dip in form, new manager Ralf Rangnick praised him as one of England’s top strikers.
Under Erik ten Hag in the 2022-23 season, Rashford enjoyed a strong pre-season and scored against Liverpool and Arsenal early on. He scored his 100th goal for United in October and extended his contract in December. In January 2023, he played a crucial role in a comeback win in the Manchester derby and later scored against Barcelona in the Europa League. Rashford scored in the EFL Cup final against Newcastle, contributing to United’s victory. He finished the season with 30 goals, becoming the first United player since Robin van Persie to reach this milestone, and was awarded the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year.
In July 2023, Rashford signed a new contract until 2028, with a significant weekly salary. He received his second career red card in a Champions League match against FC Copenhagen in November. In January 2024, he missed an FA Cup game due to illness, which was internally disciplined by United. Rashford, who had scored four goals in the first half of the season, faced criticism for hosting a birthday party after a loss to Manchester City, with Gary Neville cautioning against the development of a problematic personality.
Internationally, Rashford progressed through England’s youth teams before making his senior debut in 2016, scoring in his first match. He was included in the Euro 2016 squad, becoming the youngest Englishman to play in the European Championships. Rashford scored his first competitive goal for England in 2017 and participated in the 2018 World Cup, contributing to England’s best finish since 1990.
Rashford scored in the UEFA Nations League and was part of England’s squad for Euro 2020, although he missed a penalty in the final shoot-out against Italy. Despite surgery ruling him out of early World Cup qualifiers, he returned to the squad in November 2021. Due to a drop in form, he was not called up for several international matches in 2022 but was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scoring three goals in the tournament. Rashford was left out of the preliminary squad for Euro 2024.
Charity
In October 2019, Marcus Rashford launched the In the Box campaign with Selfridges to provide essential items to homeless individuals during the Christmas season, a goal he had envisioned since his youth training days with Manchester United. Rashford and his mother personally distributed the boxes at homeless shelters and sent some to a children’s home in Saint Kitts and Nevis, his grandmother’s homeland. Despite his efforts, Rashford felt frustrated by the campaign’s limited reach.
During the UK lockdown in March 2020, Rashford collaborated with the charity FareShare to deliver meals to children in Greater Manchester who had lost access to free school meals and those attending community centers and school breakfast clubs. Initially, he made a substantial donation, but after discussions with FareShare CEO Lindsay Boswell, Rashford decided to provide full support. The campaign quickly surpassed its initial target of aiding 400,000 children, raising over £20 million and providing food nationwide. By June, the initiative had delivered 3 million meals, which increased to 4 million by the following month.
On June 15, Rashford wrote an open letter to the UK government, urging them to end child poverty. The next day, the government extended free school meals during the summer holidays, largely credited to Rashford’s influence. Proud of the impact on 1.3 million children, Rashford’s efforts were praised as a political masterstroke. He continued his advocacy by establishing the Child Food Poverty Task Force in September 2020, collaborating with various UK food entities.
In October 2020, after being appointed MBE, Rashford launched a parliamentary petition to end child food poverty, calling for expanded free school meals, holiday meal provisions, and increased Healthy Start vouchers. The petition garnered over 100,000 signatures within 10 hours and over 200,000 on the first day. Despite parliamentary rejection of a related Labour proposal, Rashford’s campaign gained nationwide support, leading to numerous local businesses and councils offering assistance. His efforts resulted in the government providing nearly £400 million in support over 12 months.
In January 2021, Rashford highlighted substandard food packages provided by supplier Chartwells, prompting Prime Minister Boris Johnson to review the situation. Rashford’s influence was acknowledged during Prime Minister’s Questions, with Johnson commending his effectiveness.
In April 2021, Rashford and chef Tom Kerridge launched weekly recipe videos and cards to help families cook affordable meals, ensuring no one goes to bed hungry. Rashford also campaigned for a permanent £20 increase in Universal Credit, engaging with government officials and stressing the importance of the support.
Rashford’s charity work earned him a contract with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in April 2020, and he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Manchester in July 2020, becoming the youngest recipient. He was also appointed MBE in the 2020 Birthday Honours and received numerous awards, including the Pride of Britain Special Recognition Award, a mural in his honor, and being named on the Football Black List and GQ Men Of The Year.
In January 2021, Rashford was awarded The Guardian Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers’ Association Tribute Award. He appeared on Time magazine’s 100 Next list and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe Sports & Games. In April, he topped the Sunday Times Giving List, becoming the youngest person to do so.
Rashford supported World Book Day 2020 by helping share a million stories and judged a poetry competition for children with hearing impairments, learning sign language for the event. In November, he launched a book club with Macmillan Publishers to provide underprivileged children with access to books, releasing the motivational children’s book “You Are A Champion,” which won the British Book Awards’ Book of the Year in 2022. The book club aimed to distribute 50,000 books for free and release two new books annually.
Personal life 
In May 2022, Marcus Rashford announced his engagement to his girlfriend Lucia Loi, whom he had been dating since their school days. The couple had a brief split in 2021 before reconciling, but ultimately announced their separation in June 2023.
Rashford is a Christian and has spoken about his faith, stating, “The faith we have in God is shown by the people that we are.” He credits his mother for instilling strong values in him, emphasizing the respect and rules she enforced during his upbringing.
In his leisure time, Rashford enjoys playing PlayStation games and listening to rap and grime music, with rapper Dave being one of his favorites. The two collaborated on the 2022 Beats advertisement, “Never Beaten.” Additionally, Rashford owns a Cane Corso, purchased in 2018, which serves as his guard dog.
Net Worth
Estimated to be over 80 million dollars