At the age of 11, Marcus Rashford made a deliberate decision to forgo a photo opportunity with a Manchester United legend, confident that he would one day share the field with them.
Even before his debut training session with United’s first team, during David Moyes’ tenure, Rashford was already establishing himself in the club’s academy system, having caught the eye of coaches at the tender age of six.
Despite having trained with other clubs like Manchester City, Everton, and Newcastle, Rashford ultimately chose to sign with United following a successful six-week trial.
Described as a “high flier” by Carrington coaches, Rashford was fully immersed in pursuing his dream of playing for United. Reflecting on his journey in a recent interview with The Players’ Tribune, Rashford revealed that he garnered significant attention from other clubs at just 10 or 11 years old.
Despite tempting offers from various quarters, Rashford remained steadfast in his commitment to United, emphasizing that for him, the opportunity to play for the club was priceless.
Recalling a moment from his youth, Rashford shared a poignant anecdote. “Money is great. It’s a blessing. But dreams are priceless,” he remarked. “For me, even at 11 years old, playing for United was my only goal.”
He recounted a time when Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo visited the academy, and a photographer was present for the occasion. Rashford opted not to join the other kids in taking a photo with the stars.
When questioned by his brother, Rashford responded confidently, “I’m going to be playing alongside them someday.” As a result, he was the only one who refrained from posing for a picture.
Regarding Ronaldo, Rashford received two meaningful gifts from the football icon in 2018 before they became teammates. One was a signed Real Madrid shirt with a message of encouragement, and the other was a pair of limited edition Nike Air Max 97 CR7 sneakers named ‘Portugal Patchwork,’ inspired by Ronaldo’s childhood.
Rashford treasures these gifts, particularly the sneakers, so much so that he has never worn them and intends to keep them untouched. In an interview with Complex for their ‘Sneaker Shopping’ feature, Rashford expressed his reverence for Ronaldo and his reluctance to wear the shoes for fear of damaging them.
