Marcus Rashford left his England teammates stunned during their final training session before facing Mexico at the Azteca. The Three Lions are seeking to secure their place in the World Cup's last-16 in intimidating surroundings.
Rashford's Magic Moment
During a rondo at Club Universidad Nacional in Mexico City, where England are adjusting to altitude, the 28-year-old produced exceptional skill. After receiving the ball from John Stones, Rashford flicked it up, released it with a swift touch to find Morgan Rogers, and nutmegged Ezri Konsa as the Aston Villa defender lunged in.
Rashford erupted in laughter, while Jarell Quansah, Harry Kane, Declan Rice, and Dan Burn placed their hands on their heads, and Djed Spence shielded his mouth. Kane eventually collapsed to the ground in fits of laughter, while Rashford marched away doing the same. Konsa simply sprinted away after belatedly shutting his legs.
Teammates Not Surprised
Despite the reactions, England's players were not overly shocked. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka previously observed: "I have to say Rashy, Rashy is very good at the rondos. He hardly ever goes in, and every time I've been in the box he has to nutmeg someone, at least one person." Jordan Henderson added: "Rashy will probably get the most megs."
Declan Rice also heaped praise: "Rashford is very good in the box, he's just so smooth with it, his feet are so sharp. He finds little pockets to pass into."
Rashford's World Cup Campaign
Rashford has featured in England's previous two fixtures against Panama and DR Congo and hopes to keep his place for a third consecutive outing, battling Anthony Gordon for the left-wing berth.
England's squad endured drumming and fireworks outside their hotel on Saturday evening, but head coach Thomas Tuchel refused to let that serve as an excuse. He said: "We had no issues tonight and I think Fifa took care of the situation. We have security around the hotel so we expect a good night's sleep. I don't want to talk about problems that don't exist yet. If they come, we will accept them. The best way to approach is to be relaxed and calm. We have a six o'clock kick-off, so if we miss some hours of sleep, we will have time to get some other hours in the late morning."
Tuchel added: "What I experienced until now was very respectful and emotional and very supportive towards our teams, so we are very respectful towards everyone. We expect to be treated with respect and that was the case. It was even nicer than I expected."
