Marcus Rashford has officially been presented as a new Barcelona player. He takes on the iconic No. 14 jersey once worn by club legend Johan Cruyff and arrives as one of the marquee signings of the summer transfer window. The former Manchester United forward joins the club once led by Lionel Messi to global greatness—but his arrival comes with some interesting history.
Back in 2023, during an interview with Gary Neville, Rashford was asked who he would choose to take a last-minute penalty to save his life. Without hesitation, he answered: “Cristiano Ronaldo, 100 percent… It was an incredible experience to play alongside him.”
At that point, Ronaldo had already left Manchester United for Saudi Arabia. Rashford, despite being a lifelong admirer of CR7, did not mention Messi in that conversation. Ironically, around that time, tensions between Rashford and United began to escalate.
The Messi vs. Ronaldo debate remains as fierce as ever. Just days ago, Messi surpassed Ronaldo for the most non-penalty goals in soccer history. Still, for penalty kicks, Rashford clearly places his trust in Ronaldo
Barcelona move almost happened earlier
Rashford admitted during his presentation that he could have joined Barcelona in January. Manchester United was open to the move, and club president Joan Laporta was interested. However, financial limitations and registration concerns blocked the deal. Aston Villa then stepped in, and Rashford had a strong run of form that reignited Barça’s pursuit. This time, the move came together, with a reported purchase option of €30 million.
“I knew I wanted to come here,” Rashford said during his unveiling. “From day one, I felt at home… I know the No. 14 shirt is legendary, and I’ll give everything to wear it proudly. I want to win it all here. This is the best place to do it.”
While Rashford’s arrival was praised, former Barça forward Gary Lineker took time to highlight another star: Lamine Yamal. Speaking to Cadena SER, Lineker—who was close to Diego Maradona—called Yamal the natural heir to both Maradona and Messi.
“He’s the next one. At his age, he’s doing things that are simply magical. Lamine Yamal is ‘the chosen one,’” said Lineker, placing the young Spaniard in elite company.