Marcus Rashford responds to Thomas Tuchel’s ‘challenge’

Marcus Rashford insists he can reach his “maximum potential” after England boss Thomas Tuchel said the forward must “prove himself” to make next year’s World Cup squad.

The 27-year-old revived his struggling career during a six-month loan spell at Aston Villa before joining Aston Villa. Barcelona will be rented from Manchester United this summer.

With seven goals in ten games for Barça, Rashford’s form earned him a Three Lions recall from Tuchel in September and again this month as the team qualified.

The German tactician warned this week that Rashford cannot rest on his laurels and must maintain consistency to reach his “very, very high” potential.

“He can be one of the best in the world because of the quality I see in training, the finishing with both feet and with the head,” Tuchel said.

“He’s explosive, he’s fast, he’s strong in the air, so where are the limits? There are no limits, but the numbers don’t reach the potential.”

“He has to force himself into goal involvement, that means goals and assists, it’s that simple. [Consistency] is the headline for him. To keep pushing herself to the limit. I think the limit for him is very high. Maybe higher than others. He has the potential, but potential is a dangerous word in top sport.

“You have to regularly achieve your personal best, that’s what’s required at this kind of level and that’s the challenge for him. It’s not a question of talent, it’s a question of whether he can prove that point at club and international level. This is his job, whether he starts for us or comes off the bench, he has to prove himself all the time.”

“He still has to make these decisions. He’s still in that moment, he’s still young enough to make the right decisions and not let go. Because otherwise in ten years he will be disappointed with what could have been and what he made of it.”