England manager Thomas Tuchel has praised Marcus Rashford’s immense potential but cautioned the Barcelona forward against ending his career with regrets, saying he must prove himself at both club and international level.
“There are no limits for him,” Tuchel said in a press conference on Monday. “But potential is a dangerous word in elite sport. You have to reach your personal best consistently. Otherwise, he’ll look back in 10 years disappointed at what could have been.”
Rashford, 27, is currently enjoying a revival on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United, having scored three goals and provided five assists in 10 appearances so far this season. His performances, including a Champions League brace against Newcastle, have impressed both fans and coaches, with Barça manager Hansi Flick describing him as “unbelievable”.
The Spanish giants hold an option to sign Rashford permanently for £30 million in 2026.
The England international, who had fallen out of favour at United, is aiming to rebuild his career away from Old Trafford. He also had a strong loan spell at Aston Villa last season, earning a recall to the England squad earlier this year — his first call-up since March 2024.
Tuchel, who took over from Gareth Southgate in January, said Rashford’s success hinges not on ability, but on application.
“It’s not a question of talent,” he said. “It’s about proving it week in, week out — for club and country.”
Earlier this year, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim criticised Rashford’s attitude, suggesting he wasn’t giving “the maximum every day.”
Tuchel, however, believes there’s still time for Rashford to take control of his future. “He’s explosive, two-footed, strong in the air, fast — he can be one of the best in the world. But the numbers haven’t matched the potential yet. It’s as simple as that.”
England on Verge of World Cup Qualification
England face Latvia in Riga on Tuesday, knowing a win will seal qualification for the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
Despite early criticism of Tuchel’s reign, England remain unbeaten in qualifying. After a lacklustre win over Andorra and a 3-1 friendly loss to Senegal in June, recent performances have shown marked improvement. A dominant 5-0 win over Serbia in Belgrade and a 3-0 victory against Wales last week have raised optimism.
“It’s a pleasure to coach and to watch them right now,” said Tuchel. “The effort against the ball in the first half against Wales was outstanding — they couldn’t get out of their half.”
He added: “We’re setting new standards. The hunger is there, and that’s what we need. There’s always room for improvement, but things are looking good.”
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