Marcus Rashford needed less than 20 minutes to give Barcelona fans something to think about after England 's opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England manager Thomas Tuchel named Anthony Gordon in his starting lineup against Croatia , with the Barcelona winger getting the nod ahead of Rashford.
However, after a difficult outing from Gordon, Tuchel turned to Rashford in the second half and the Manchester United forward made an immediate impact by finding the back of the net.
The goal quickly reignited debate around Barcelona's summer transfer business, with many supporters questioning why the club chose Gordon over a player who had just enjoyed an excellent season in Catalonia.
Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Rashford spent the 2025-26 campaign on loan at Barcelona and finished the season with 14 goals and 11 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions.
Despite holding a €30 million option to make the move permanent, Barcelona decided against signing him and instead spent around €70 million to bring Gordon to Spain from Newcastle United .
After Rashford came off the bench to score against Croatia while Gordon struggled before being substituted, plenty of fans were quick to revisit that decision on social media .
One fan wrote: " Barca went for Gordon instead of Rashford? That one's gonna age like milk now."
Another said: "Good. I enjoyed it… Marcus Rashford showing his class and shutting everyone up in his first game."
A third supporter added: "The worst decision they've made. They chose pressing over G/A."
Meanwhile, another fan joked: "If they changed their mind, then the price goes up to 50 million euros. Yesterday's price is not today's price!!"
One final reaction read: "I know Gordon is younger but he'll never have the kind of impact Rashford had in any team. Rashford is a big game player and lived up to expectations at Man United. Eager to see the kind of impact Gordon will have at Barcelona."
Barcelona's decision was not simply a straight comparison between the two players.
While Rashford impressed during his loan spell, Gordon is four years younger and arrived with a reputation as one of the Premier League's most energetic and aggressive pressing forwards.
The England international had also established himself as a key player for both Newcastle and the national team before his move to Camp Nou.
Still, Rashford's numbers in Barcelona colours were difficult to ignore. His 25 goal contributions in 49 appearances helped the club compete on multiple fronts and earned him plenty of admirers among supporters.
That is why his goal against Croatia generated such a strong reaction online. One World Cup appearance will not determine whether Barcelona made the right choice, but Rashford could hardly have scripted a better start after seeing the club pass on the opportunity to sign him permanently.
Read more:
