Rashflash.

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A letter to my favourite footballer.

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2016. Elimination game in the Europa League. All senior strikers injured. Manager calls up a baby-faced 18 year old from the academy. Starts the game and scores a brace on debut.

Following weekend, starts against Arsenal. Bang bang. Another brace. 4 goals in 2 for the teenage wonderkid. Since that day, I was hooked. My WhatsApp profile picture was Rashford. My phone wallpaper was Rashford. In a drab, dull team, watching him kept you on the edge of the seat.

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2019. PSG in the round of 16. 2-0 down coming into the second leg away from home. United claw their way back to go 2-1 up on the night. 90th minute penalty and up steps Marcus Rashford. Smashes it in and gives me one of the best moments in football. When I close my eyes, I can still hear the commentator going "Oh he's smashed it in!".

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2020. Pandemic has brought football to a halt. The UK government stops providing free school meals as schools are shut. Rashford teams up with charities to raise funds and provide meals to children no longer having access to them. Pressurises the government(!) into U-turning their stance and restart school meals during the holidays. At that moment, all I thought was "Could you love him more".


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2023. The 30-goal season. Carries the team on his back to a 3rd place finish and a first trophy in 6 years. Finally, he has arrived. Finally, he will be given the support and recognition he deserves. Only the start, I thought, of what was going to be a storied and celebrated career when it ends.

The celebration we know all too well from that season

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Between 2016 and 2024, he has given me too many memorable moments to write about. The brace opening day against Chelsea. The freekick against Celta Vigo. The nutmeg of Demichelis to score on derby day. The freekick against Chelsea. The countless big game goals. The Europa league win. The golden run when Ole came in.

 

The young boy thrown into a first-team game without notice had become the man who carried his boyhood club through adversities into, what finally felt like, success.


Throughout this time, he has faced and dealt with numerous adversities. From the time he was asked to "stick to football" for standing up for underprivileged kids, to the time he was racially abused for missing a penalty. 

Through it all, I always stuck by him. Even though we were miles apart, it felt like I grew up with him. It felt like he was someone I knew. So when I saw baseless criticism of him on social media, it felt personal.


As soon as news filtered through that he might be leaving United soon, I just felt shattered. I will always be saddened that he couldn't fulfill his (and my) dream of lifting the league title for his boyhood club. 


When asked what his biggest achievement is, he said "I haven't achieved it yet". Wherever, whenever it happens, best believe I will be celebrating it just as wildly as a 15 year old me celebrated his brace against Arsenal all those years ago.


Go well, Marcus. I will always be cheering for you, wherever you end up next.


<3

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