Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United and England footballer, was raised in a devout Christian family and identifies as a practicing Christian. He has openly credited his faith in God for guiding his life and his social activism – saying it is “impossible not to have faith in God” given where he and his family have come from.
Quick Profile: Marcus Rashford
| Full name | Marcus Rashford |
| Date of birth | 31 October 1997 |
| Place of birth | Manchester, England |
| Nationality | English (British) |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Position | Forward |
| Current club | FC Barcelona (on loan from Manchester United) |
| National team | England |
| Religion | Christian |
| Partner | Lucia Loi (ex-fiancée, 2017–2023) |
What religion is Marcus Rashford?
Marcus Rashford is a Christian. He was raised by his mother, Melanie, “as a practising Christian,” and in interviews Rashford has affirmed that his family’s faith in God is a central part of their lives. . When asked if he is religious, he replied “Yeah, definitely. My mum is very religious… it’s impossible not to have faith in God and all he does for us”. This public acknowledgement – combined with the fact that Rashford’s mother brought up her children in a devout Christian household makes clear that Christianity is his religion. (His Wikipedia biography likewise simply states, “Rashford is Christian”, echoing his own words about faith.) In short, Rashford openly identifies with the Christian faith he was raised in, often crediting God’s guidance in his life and charity work.
Early Life
Marcus Rashford was born on 31 October 1997 in Manchester, England, and grew up in the local neighborhoods of Fallowfield, Withington, and Wythenshawe. He comes from a working-class family: his mother Melanie Maynard was a single parent who worked multiple jobs to support Marcus and his four older siblings (two brothers and two sisters). Rashford’s family background is Afro-Caribbean; his father’s side is Jamaican, and his maternal family is from the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts. He has noted that some of his family were Manchester City supporters, but Rashford himself always supported United as a child.
From a very young age Rashford showed talent in football. At about age 5 he began playing for the local youth club Fletcher Moss Rangers, originally as a goalkeeper (inspired by US goalie Tim Howard). Aged 7 he joined the Manchester United youth system, eventually attending a high school (Ashton-on-Mersey School) close to the club’s training grounds. His great-uncle and cousin are also footballers – most notably, his cousin is professional midfielder Lois Maynard. Rashford was raised in his mother’s strong Christian faith; his mother “brought up her children as practising Christians,” and he has often spoken of the values and respect she instilled in the family.
Football Career Highlights
Marcus Rashford came through Manchester United’s youth academy and burst onto the first team scene in early 2016. He made his senior debut on 25 February 2016 in a UEFA Europa League match against FC Midtjylland, and remarkably scored twice in that game. Just three days later he made his Premier League debut at age 18 and again scored two goals in a 3–2 win over Arsenal, becoming the third-youngest player ever to score in a Premier League match for United (behind Federico Macheda and Danny Welbeck). In his very first Manchester derby (against rivals City) that spring he scored again, and he also found the net on his League Cup and Champions League debuts.
These early successes helped establish Rashford as a key attacking talent. In his first full season he played a part in Manchester United’s domestic cup double: United won the 2016–17 EFL Cup (League Cup) and the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League. Over the following years Rashford became a regular forward for United, known for his pace and finishing. In 2022–23 he had one of his best seasons, earning the PFA Fans’ Premier League Player of the Year award.
Internationally, Rashford made his England debut on 27 May 2016 and scored in that first match – setting the record as the youngest-ever English player to score on debut at age 18. He was part of the England squads at UEFA Euro 2016 (making the final tournament in France as a teenager) and at Euro 2020 (June–July 2021), where England finished runners-up. He also represented England at the FIFA World Cup tournaments in 2018 and 2022.
Joined by Barcelona in 2025, Marcus Rashford (shown here after signing for Barça) became the first Englishman to play for FC Barcelona in 40 years. In July 2025 Rashford completed a season-long loan move to Barcelona (from Manchester United), a surprising turn that made history as he followed only Gary Lineker as an English outfield player at the club.
Prior to that, in January 2025 he had also spent time on loan at Aston Villa. These moves reflect his continued prominence as a forward: on loan, he immediately contributed goals (for example, scoring a brace on his Villa debut) and remains an England international. Overall, Rashford’s football career highlights include his debut hat-tricks, multiple domestic trophies with United (two FA Cups, two EFL Cups, a Community Shield, and the Europa League), numerous club awards (such as Manchester United’s Players’ Player of the Year 2023), and key contributions to the England national team.
Personal Life
Off the pitch, Marcus Rashford tends to keep a relatively low profile. He was in a long-term relationship with Lucia Loi, whom he met in school, and they became engaged in May 2022. However, the couple announced their separation in June 2023.
Rashford is close to his family: he has often spoken of his mother’s sacrifices and guidance, noting that “for my whole upbringing, she was the leader in that”. He has four older siblings (two brothers and two sisters) who grew up together in Manchester, and he remains connected to his roots in the city.
In interviews Rashford has also shared a few personal interests and anecdotes. He enjoys playing video games (particularly on PlayStation) and listening to rap and grime music; rapper Dave is cited as one of his favorites, and Rashford even collaborated with Dave on a 2022 Beats by Dre advertising campaign. He is known to be a pet owner as well – for example, he owns a large guard dog (a Cane Corso) to protect his home.
Awards and Honors
Marcus Rashford has received widespread recognition for both his sporting achievements and his charitable work. In football, he won two FA Cups (2016, 2024), two EFL Cups (2017, 2023), the 2016 FA Community Shield, and the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League with Manchester United. Individually, he earned accolades such as the Guardian Footballer of the Year (2020) and the Football Writers’ Association Tribute Award (2020). He was also included on Time magazine’s “100 Next” list in 2021 for influential figuresand won the FIFA Foundation Award in 2020.
Off the field, Rashford’s efforts for social causes have led to significant honors. In October 2020 he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, in recognition of his campaign against child food poverty. He was also named Campaigner of the Year in GQ’s Men of the Year Awards 2020 and received a special panel award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony that year. In 2021 he became the youngest ever recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Manchester, awarded for his charity work and campaign efforts. Rashford has also repeatedly topped “giving” or philanthropic lists – for example, he was ranked #1 on The Sunday Times Giving List in 2021 as the UK’s most generous celebrity donor at just 23 years old. These honors reflect his impact on and off the pitch, from sporting excellence to community leadership.
Endorsements and Earnings
Rashford has been involved in a number of high-profile endorsement deals. He is sponsored by Nike (having been with Nike since youth), and in October 2023 he launched his own Nike apparel and boot collection. In addition to Nike, he has been associated with other major brands. His endorsements have included campaigns with Beats by Dre (he featured in a 2022 “Never Beaten” advertisement alongside rapper Dave) and partnerships with fashion and consumer companies. For example, he has endorsed Coca-Cola (starting in 2021) and luxury label Burberry, among others. Some reports noted that Rashford parted ways with Burberry and other sponsors in 2024, but Nike remains a long-term partner.
These sponsorships, combined with his football salary, have made Rashford one of the highest-earning young players. In July 2023 he signed a five-year contract extension with Manchester United worth approximately £325,000 per week. This contract, plus bonuses and appearance fees, makes him one of United’s top earners. (He is under contract at United through 2028.) Across club earnings and endorsements, his total net worth is often estimated to be on the order of tens of millions of pounds. In addition, Rashford has said he directs much of his endorsement income into charitable causes, reflecting that he “doesn’t need to partner with brands” for profit but rather to support his philanthropy.
Trivia
- Youth Scoring Feat: Rashford achieved a rare feat by scoring on both his Manchester United first-team debut and his Premier League debut. He remains one of the youngest players to do so. At 18 he became the third-youngest goalscorer for United in the Premier League.
- Author: In 2020–2021 he launched a children’s literacy campaign and co-authored a kids’ book, You Are A Champion, with journalist Carl Anka. That book won the Children’s Book of the Year at the 2022 British Book Awards.
- First Englishman at Barça: When he joined Barcelona on loan in 2025, Rashford became the first English outfield player to play for FC Barcelona in 40 years, following in the footsteps of Gary Lineker (who played there in the late 1980s).
- Family Connection: Rashford is a cousin of professional footballer Lois Maynard (who plays in the lower leagues), making football a family tradition.
