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Former England winger Theo Walcott says Marcus Rashford is the Three Lions player he is “most thinking about” at the upcoming World Cup.
Rashford has not played for his country for 12 months between March 2024 and 2025, having been left out of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.
Reintroduced by Thomas Tuchel, he featured in each of the Three Lions’ squads under the German, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury in June 2025.
The 28-year-old Manchester United forward’s life has been improved by being loaned to Barcelona, where he scored 14 goals and provided 14 assists in 47 games for the La Liga champions.
He started England won the friendly match 1-0 Against New Zealand on Saturday and Tuchel insisting there were no hidden messages in his first-half line-up, Walcott believes Rashford should start at the World Cup.
“Rashford has been fantastic this year,” Walcott said on the Wayne Rooney Show.
“I watched it a lot. I fell in love with watching Barcelona again and with Rashford going there I became more interested. It was great for him.
“It’s going to be a dead cert for me when he starts. The way he played, that freedom, that joy. We want to see that smile.”
Rashford was England’s bright spark in the first half in New Zealand, creating five chances.
“Rashford will be an integral part of this competition,” added Walcott. “I’m looking forward to seeing him. Of all the players, I think about him the most.
“I think he’s brave enough to go abroad – it’s great when English players go. I wasn’t brave enough, but it shows good character for him to do it.”
