Spain are the World champions after a 1-0 win against Argentina in the World Cup final, and how they did it is an eye-opener for Marcus Rashford.
It was a weird World Cup for Marcus Rashford, who struggled to get into the team ahead of Anthony Gordon and lost his place after winning it once.
An assist in the meaningless third-place fixture against France summed up what the World Cup was for him, a marquee tournament that ends with a whimper.
If he is sensible, however, he will look at the manner in which Spain won the cup and realise what he needs to do next in his career.
After watching Marcus Rashford at the World Cup, do you want to see him back at Man Utd?
Marcus Rashford ended his World Cup campaign with a strong display against France…
Why Spain’s World Cup win is an eye-opener for Marcus Rashford
The World Cup final was a clash between two contrasting philosophies and styles of play, as Spain’s controlled possession met Argentina’s dark arts.
Spain are a unit in a true sense, attacking and defending with 11 men, no egos, suffocating the opposition, and killing them with a thousand cuts.
It was startling to see the way in which they pressed collectively, cut off the passing lines, and moved off the ball constantly, even as Argentina camped inside their box.
Their possession was with a purpose, and while there is always room for individual brilliance, it had to be done within a structure.
It’s not a coincidence that Spain had the best defensive record in the tournament, and Argentina didn’t have their first shot on target in the final until the 117th minute.
All of the traits that have combined to make Spain the world champions are the antithesis of what Rashford is as a player.
He’ll give you goals, assists, and some clippable highlights, but he struggles to function as a part of the team due to his work ethic and style of play.
Rashford is a player who prefers to keep running into space in behind, or try a dribble out wide to cut inside and shoot.
He lacks the will or understanding to press from the front, help his full-back, and press as a unit, which makes him a difficult fit in an elite structure.
Barcelona were never going to buy Rashford
Rashford provided Barcelona with double figures in goals and assists last season, but watching Spain made it clear that he was never a good structural fit at the club.
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The Spanish national team has a strong Barcelona representation, where the players are more than the sum of their parts.
Rashford is a bit of a lone wolf on the pitch, so while he makes sense as a backup option to break open games with a moment of magic, he’s not worth the fee and wages he would command.
The ethos of that club is against everything Rashford is as a player, and the Spanish national team’s perfecting that style of play proved it.
They don’t want superstars who rely on a moment of magic. They want a committed squad of players who make each other better to create an elite XI.
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