Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford says he is fully committed to playing for the England national team, regardless of criticism or questioning of his dedication. The 25-year-old is preparing for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia after withdrawing from the March meet-up due to injury. Rashford has faced criticism for taking a short trip to New York while England were playing their Group C opener in Italy, but he says he needs time to recover and prepare for future games. The Manchester United forward says he is not bothered by criticism of his commitment to playing for his country.
According to a report from Sky Sports, Marcus Rashford has stated that he is fully committed to playing for England and is not bothered by criticism or questioning of his dedication to the national team.
The 25-year-old Manchester United forward is preparing for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, having withdrawn from March’s meet-up due to injury. Rashford has had to pull out of numerous camps over the years, but his decision to head to New York while England were winning their Group C opener 2-1 in Italy sparked debate.
However, boss Gareth Southgate defended Rashford’s decision to jet off to the United States at the time, and the player himself says he was unmoved by critical voices. “I didn’t see it, to be honest with you,” Rashford said. “I didn’t see it until I got home.”
Explaining his decision to take a short trip to New York, Rashford said, “I need time to switch off and recover, so I took a short trip, four days, then went back to do rehab and just try and get ready as soon as possible. With injuries, you can’t predict when they’re going to happen. Thankfully I have very few muscle strains and them type of injuries, but occasionally you do get impact injuries. The majority of my injuries have been that.”
When asked if people questioning his commitment to playing for his country hurt, Rashford replied, “Honestly, it doesn’t. I know that I’m committed to it 100 per cent, people are going to say what they’re going to say. It doesn’t really bother me.”
Rashford laughed off the suggestions as he prepares to play in his first qualifier since England won 4-0 away to Kosovo in November 2019 – the last international before the schedule paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. He will surely get minutes in Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier at Malta.
Despite the criticism, Rashford remains focused on his commitment to playing for England and helping the team succeed. With his talent and dedication, he is sure to be an important asset to the national team for years to come.
