Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has powerfully hit out at his detractors, suggesting that a “line has been crossed” in the way that criticism towards him, ultimately questioning his commitment and dedication as a professional, has been framed.

Writing for The Players’ Tribune, part of 90min‘s parent company Minute Media, Rashford described himself as an “introvert” who doesn’t normally like to respond. He even said he isn’t trying to “have a go at the media” but explained the reports about him in recent months have been more about a public character named ‘Marcus Rashford’ than who he really is as a person.

“It can’t just be about me as a 26-year-old lad on a night out, or a lad getting a parking ticket. It’s got to be about how much my car costs, guessing my weekly salary, my jewelry or even my tattoos,” the England international said.

“It’s got to be about my body language, questioning my morals, and speculating about my family, and my football future. There’s a tone to it that you don’t get with all footballers. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Having been a household named since he burst onto the scene aged 18 in 2016, Rashford went on to suggest that some perceptions of him changed for the negative in 2020. Having grown up with little, he took a stand to ensure that children who relied on school meals to feed them were not left to go hungry during school closures prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

By many, he was hailed as a national hero, awarded an MBE by the end of that year for his work campaigning to end child food poverty. But critics told him to stick to football.

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“I think some of it goes back to the pandemic. I was just trying to use my voice to make sure that kids weren’t going hungry, because I know exactly how it feels,” Rashford continued.

“For some reason, that seemed to rub certain people the wrong way. It seems like they’ve been waiting for me to have a human moment so they can point the finger and say, ‘See? See who he really is?’

“Listen, I’m not a perfect person. When I make a mistake, I’ll be the first one to put my hand up and say that I need to do better. But if you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up. It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man.”

Rashford scored 30 goals in all competitions last season for the first time in his career but has found it difficult to replicate that form in 2023/24. He was left out of the January trip to Newport County in the FA Cup, with the official reason given as illness, although it was just days after a night out in Belfast was reported to have lasted until the early hours of the next morning.

He was previously benched for a game against Wolves in December 2022 for arriving late to a team meeting but came storming back by scoring the winning goal when he was later brought on.