Marcus Rashford’s first interview: Manchester United’s teenage superstar on what Wayne Rooney told him, scoring on his England debut, and his best ever goal
Old Trafford's newest hero remaining level-headed despite explosive breakthrough which has seen him rise to the top
AS a kid coming through the ranks at Old Trafford, Marcus Rashford used to look up to Wayne Rooney.
Last weekend the teenager could finally stand eye-to-eye with Rooney when his captain came on to replace HIM.
Rashford is the latest kid off the Manchester United production line, enjoying a whirlwind seven months which started with his debut in February before he gatecrashed England’s Euro 2016 squad.
But helping the 18-year-old cope with the pressure of his new-found fame has been Rooney — his captain at both club and international level.
Rashford, who joined United’s academy aged seven, admitted: “Growing up, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were the players I looked up to — and Carlos Tevez when he was at the club.
“I didn’t really speak to Cristiano as I wasn’t in the first team then, but I’ve obviously spoken to Wazza He’s given me advice. He’s told me to stick to what I have always done, and just keep playing my football.
“He started at a young age, too, made his Everton debut at 17, then moved here and went through a similar situation to me. So it helped me a lot knowing he had been through it, too.”
Not that Rashford seems to need much advice from Rooney, or indeed anyone.
Speaking to me in his first-ever national newspaper interview, he comes across as mature beyond his tender years, grounded and polite — if still slightly shy.
And that rare thing for a modern footballer. He is EARLY.
No doubt helped by the fact mum Mel and older brothers Dwaine and Dane have come with him on the train to the capital from Manchester for his interview at the London Stadium.
If he was still in charge at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson would be beaming with delight at this level-headed youngster.
The tall and gangly teenager, dressed in a green parka, walks through the doors of the stadium looking like most of the lads queueing up outside to play the new EA SPORTS FIFA 17 video game. Not help launch it.
But that is just a measure of his new-found fame.
Back in June, Rashford admitted it felt unreal when he first walked into the England dressing room and had Rooney chaperone him through his first TV interview.
But he grinned: “It’s not so crazy anymore. I’m getting used to it now.”
Rashford laughs when I say he should also get used to the incredible comparisons with Rooney.
Both scored 12 goals in their first 25 games. Both made their United debuts in European competition aged 18 — and scored.
Both made their Prem bows against Arsenal — and scored. Both won their their first England caps against Australia…
He said: “I hadn’t seen that before! It’s a bit weird but I’ll be very happy indeed if I have the same career as him. My ambition is to win the Champions League with United. When I look at his career, he has won everything for his club.
“He’s about to beat the club goals record, he’s got the England appearance record, goals record — a lot to be proud of. It would be unbelievable to follow that. When he came on for me last weekend, I didn’t really take it in. You just have to be ready for whenever you play.”
Rashford still lives with his mum and brothers, although he has bought a new house for them all in a leafy Manchester suburb — a few miles from the Wythenshawe council estate where he grew up.
Success on the pitch also means he no longer has to do the chores at home. He grinned: “No, no more washing up!”
Mum is out of earshot at this point, but he is obviously close to her and she is clearly a huge influence in his life. In fact, Mel reportedly moved to Northern Moor in Wythenshawe from Withington when he was eight to keep him out of trouble.
Similarly, just 24 hours after scoring a hat-trick for England Under-21s last month, Rashford went to watch two pals playing for non-league Bacup Borough — even paying the £5 to get in through the turnstile.
He said: “I’ve got the right people around me and they help a lot. No one wants me to do anything wrong. I’ve also got close friends who know me the best. I think sometimes people forget how old I am.
“I now get recognised in the street, which is strange, but I don’t go out as much as I used to. It’s not a downside, I just have to be a bit more private.”
As he says, you just have to be ready for whenever you play.
And Rashford had to be when Louis van Gaal threw him in at the deep end against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League in February after Anthony Martial got injured in the warm-up.
Rashford netted twice in a 5-1 victory to fire United into the last 16 — becoming the club’s youngest goalscorer in Europe at 18 years and 117 days. The previous holder of the record was none other than George Best.
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Speaking at the launch of EA SPORTS FIFA 17, Rashord said: “Emotionally, making my debut has been the highlight so far. I didn’t know I was starting until three minutes before. I went in and put my shirt on and the team were already in the tunnel.
“I didn’t have time to be nervous but I guess it helped being at home in front of your own fans. I know it could break some players, but in football you just have to be mentally strong. It’s one of the big components that you need to be successful.
“That is something that is instilled in you here. That winning mentality. They teach you from when you’re very young, so when you get to the first team you don’t have to change your mentality.”
Winning major trophies is something Manchester United have had scant experience of since Fergie’s departure — but Rashford insists that will soon change.
He said: “You don’t think about individual targets until you fulfil team targets. We have a squad that can challenge for the title and other trophies, so that’s the priority, given what the club has been through over the last few years.
“When the transition started, I was with the under-15s. Now I know I have to be part of trying to turn things around. But it’s something the squad is more than capable of.”
Rashford is already playing under his second United boss after the arrival of Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford. Another new face to start impressing again?
He insists: “You have to impress them whether they are new or not. I hope that over the last few games I’ve shown what I can do. But it’s not always the games where you get the message across. It’s every day in training. That’s when you have to impress the manager and the players, too.
“You have to gain their trust. For me, sometimes it’s more important to perform well in training and know that I am improving, rather than scoring in a game. It’s doing the hard work, day in, day out. The challenge for me is trying to follow up and recreate these moments.
“Once you do it in a game, people expect it again! But I think people know it’s difficult to do it all the time. But that’s the challenging thing — consistency. Especially at a younger age as a lot of things you are going through, some of the players have gone through it six or seven times. It’s different for me as I’m still experiencing that and still learning about the game.”
As for his best goal so far? The ones against Manchester City, Hull or Leicester. No. Typically for the down-to-earth Rashford, it was while playing in the academy.
He said: “I was about 14 or 15. I can’t remember who it was against but two of us went forward from kick-off, played it between each other and I scored. It would be nice to do that in the Premier League, mind!”
MARCUS RASHFORD was speaking at the launch of EA SPORTS FIFA 17.
FIFA 17 is out NOW on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and all other formats. To find out more visit #FIFA17
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