“Next five years are going to be important in his legacy” – Rooney tells Rashford what he must do to match Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney recently explained what Marcus Rashford needs to do to reach the levels of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
Rashford had a phenomenal 2022-23 campaign for Manchester United. He scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 56 appearances across all competitions, the best goal return of his career. The 25-year-old was also instrumental in the Red Devils winning the EFL Cup and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
The England international was rewarded for his efforts with a new long-term contract on Tuesday, July 18. He committed his future at Old Trafford until 2028 with a weekly salary of £325,000 per week.
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney spoke about his new contract signing (via The Mirror):
"I think Marcus Rashford is an incredible talent. I’m delighted he’s signed a new deal."
He then explained how Rashford could do to match Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland:
"I think the next five years are going to be important in his legacy. He can score a lot of goals but if he really wants to go to that level of which [Kylian] Mbappe and [Erling] Haaland are at he really needs to be the man to get Manchester United back to winning titles and I hope he can."
While Rashford had a brilliant season, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe performed at a higher level. He will need to maintain his consistency next season and challenge for all possible trophies.
Haaland blew his competition out of the water. The Manchester City superstar scored 52 goals and provided nine assists in 53 appearances, helping the Cityzens win the treble.
Mbappe also had a stellar campaign for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He found the back of the net 41 times and provided 10 assists in 43 appearances, aiding Les Parisiens to win the Ligue 1 title.
Erling Haaland surpasses Kylian Mbappe to become the world's most valuable football player
Football Benchmark compiled a list of the top 10 most valuable football players this month. Erling Haaland topped the standings and is currently worth a whopping €194 million. Kylian Mbappe finished second with his market price being €182 million.
Mbappe had a phenomenal season helping PSG win the league. He also won the Golden Boot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including scoring a hat-trick against Argentina in the final in a losing effort.
However, his feats didn't compare to Haaland. The 22-year-old won the treble in his debut season with Manchester City, breaking the record for the most goals in a Premier League season with 36. He is set to contest Lionel Messi for the 2023 Ballon d'Or award as well.
In third place on Football Benchmark's list is Real Madrid Vinicius Junior (€157 million). Jude Bellingham (€152 million) and Jamal Musiala (€149 million) make up the top five.