FC Barcelona announced the arrival of Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United yesterday, presenting him with the #14 jersey. The attacker comes to Spain as the first English player to don the Blaugrana since Gary Lineker in the late 1980s.
Rashford was beaming during his presentation at Barcelona and was pictured with the #14 jersey. While the expectation was that he might take the #19 jersey, which was vacant after Lamine Yamal moved to the #10, the 27-year-old decided to go down another route.
The #14 jersey is an iconic jersey at Barcelona, worn by the legendary Johan Cruyff. As per Mundo Deportivo, another reason why Marcus Rashford opted for the #14 on his back was because of the fact that his idol, Thierry Henry, donned the same during his time at the club.
Barcelona wants to follow in Thierry Henry’s footsteps
Although the Frenchman is better known for his time at Arsenal, Henry enjoyed a successful stint at Barcelona where he was a part of Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side. Having played much of his career as a striker at the Emirates, he transitioned to a left-wing role at the Catalan club.
As per the report, Rashford wants to score goals wearing the #14 jersey on his back. Similar to the legendary Frenchman, the 27-year-old is also a versatile pacy forward who can play on the left wing and also hold his own through the middle.
With the World Cup 2026 on the horizon, Rashford will be keen to hit the ground running at Barcelona. He needs to have a good season to work his way back into the plans of Thomas Tuchel as the competition in the Three Lions squad is immense.
Marcus Rashford can be viewed as a left-winger
In Hansi Flick’s team, although Rashford might be viewed as a left-winger, he can also be used through the middle if the necessity arises. His pace and directness could be a valuable weapon off the bench for the Catalan club.
The next few weeks will all be about adaptation and preparation for Rashford. The 27-year-old will be keen to integrate with new teammates, and let’s wait and see how the new #14 can fare for Barcelona through the course of the season.
