Marcus Rashford Responds to Kylian Mbappe's Heartfelt Message

Marcus Rashford will meet old rival Kylian Mbappe in a third-place play-off after England's World Cup exit.

What happened?

England's World Cup campaign came to an end with a 2-1 loss to Argentina in the semi-finals. Marcus Rashford played a part in the Three Lions' run to the semi-final, scoring his only goal in a 4-2 win over Croatia in the group stage. He made the starting XI twice and racked up 177 minutes during England's trip across the Atlantic.

Why it matters for Marcus Rashford

Rashford's England were left heartbroken once again this year as Argentina made an incredible comeback to beat them 2-1 and advance to the final. France were also dumped out of the World Cup after Spain won 2-0 to set up a Europe vs South America finale. Rashford posted a heartfelt message to his followers as he said: "The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster of emotions, each and every one of our team gave everything we had to be ready for what was thrown at us, we got close, but not close enough. I'll make a promise that we will come again! Thank you for the unconditional support we have received throughout the tournament, it hasn't gone unnoticed."

What comes next?

Mbappe left a love-heart emoji on the post, displaying his respect towards Rashford. The United forward then replied: "Good luck with the rest of the tournament brother! Go smash it king." Rashford is heading back to Manchester United having been waiting to sort out his future until after the World Cup has concluded. But first, he will reunite with a familiar opponent as France battle England for third place on Saturday night.

Rashford and Mbappe have a history of clashing on the pitch, with the pair facing each other twice in El Clasico. The Real Madrid star won 2-1 in La Liga back in October, but Rashford got the last laugh as he beat Mbappe in the Supercopa final, winning 3-2 and lifting the trophy.

For the time being, Rashford is heading back to United, but he will have to wait until after the World Cup has concluded to sort out his future. But first, he will face Mbappe in a third-place play-off, in what is a rematch of the 2022 quarter-final clash in Qatar.

The United forward has been in fine form for Manchester United, making 42 goal contributions in a successful 2022/23 season. Things would change dramatically before the next World Cup, as the academy hero would go out on loan to Aston Villa and Barcelona due to a bitter fall-out with manager Ruben Amorim.

Rashford will now focus on helping England secure a third-place finish, but he will have to wait until after the World Cup has concluded to sort out his future. The United forward has been in fine form for Manchester United, making 42 goal contributions in a successful 2022/23 season.

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