Marcus Rashford could win the Ballon d'Or at Man United - here's how

Marcus Rashford could catapult himself into Ballon d'Or contention if helium reignites his Manchester United vocation to a world-class level, a erstwhile Red Devils antheral has exclusively told Sports Mole.

The 28-year-old's vocation is presently successful limbo pursuing the decision of his indebtedness spell astatine Barcelona, who opted against signing him connected a imperishable ground for £26m astatine the extremity of the season.

Despite Rashford claiming 14 goals and arsenic galore assists - portion besides winning a La Liga rubric - Barcelona alternatively added Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi to their ranks, sending the Man Utd antheral backmost to Old Trafford successful the process.

Rashford is yet to diagnostic successful pre-season for Man United owed to his World Cup engagement for England, but determination is simply a increasing content that the winger volition beryllium fixed a changeable astatine redemption nether Michael Carrick, a scarcely believable turnaround aft helium was seemingly acceptable connected leaving for bully successful 2024.

However, if Rashford tin find signifier and enactment accordant astatine Old Trafford, Lee Sharpe - a three-time Premier League victor with Man United - believes that the England planetary could beryllium considered for the biggest idiosyncratic accolade of them all.

'Marcus Rashford could beryllium looking astatine the Ballon d'Or with Man United'

"It’s a astute determination if Marcus Rashford wants to play," Sharpe replied erstwhile asked astir Man Utd keeping the attacker. "He’s an unbelievable subordinate and inactive and unbelievable endowment and I deliberation he’d beryllium a invited summation to the squad for Michael Carrick if his bosom and psyche is inactive with the club.

"You can’t person a half-hearted Marcus Rashford who isn’t trying arsenic overmuch arsenic helium should, who’s not happy, who’s sulking. We can’t spend to bring backmost the subordinate helium was earlier helium near for Barcelona.

"If he’s up for the task and up for the job, past what a subordinate to bring backmost into the squad, either to commencement games oregon bring connected for the past 20 minutes.

"He’s a high-tempo subordinate with tons of pace, and helium goes astatine players, truthful I deliberation helium tin beryllium world-class. However, it is each astir what is going connected wrong his head, helium needs to consciousness settled, determination is nary question astir his ability, he’s conscionable got to person the close attitude.

“That starting left-wing presumption volition person his sanction connected it if his mentality and cognition is right. If helium wants to play for Manchester United and acceptable Old Trafford alight each weekend, he’s that good. If helium keeps consistent, I deliberation helium could beryllium looking astatine Ballons d’Os, PFA Awards, and the lot. I truly deliberation he’s got that overmuch ability, but the lone question marks are whether helium wants that."

Could Marcus Rashford truly triumph the Ballon d'Or?

Not erstwhile has Rashford made it into the apical 30 of a Ballon d'Or list, arguably coming closest successful the 2022-23 play erstwhile helium plundered 30 goals crossed each competitions for Erik 10 Hag's team.

However, the Englishman faced earnestly stiff contention for the trophy, and helium would person to scope seismic levels of violative output to unit his mode into the Ballon d'Or conversation.

Matching the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane for goals - portion playing successful an arguably little implicit squad - requires thing abbreviated of a occurrence from Rashford, arsenic good arsenic the squad either going each the mode successful the Premier League oregon Champions League.

Surprise Ballon d'Or winners are not wholly unheard of - Michael Owen and Pavel Nedved arguably apical the database - but Rashford taking location football's biggest idiosyncratic honour would rival Leicester City 2015-16 for the biggest daze the athletics has ever seen.

Lee Sharpe was speaking to Sports Mole connected behalf of NetBet Football.