The 28-year-old forward was named in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man group on Friday after a season on loan at Barcelona that revived his international career. He contributed eight goals and seven assists in 31 La Liga appearances for the LaLiga champions, having also spent the second half of the 2024-25 season at Aston Villa under Unai Emery.
Shortly after Tuchel's announcement, Rashford posted an Instagram Story that read: "Special thanks to Unai, Hansi, Thomas, Aston Villa, Barcelona and England for believing in me when things got tough."
The conspicuous absence of any mention of Manchester United — his parent club, to whom he is contracted until 2027 — drew immediate attention. Rashford subsequently issued a follow-up statement on X to address the reaction directly.
"To make my IG story clear. It's not a dig of any sort," he wrote. "I'm a MU supporter, and that remains. I was showing gratitude to the clubs and coaches that I have worked with over the past 18 months. They have played a big role in this England call-up."
In a separate post, Rashford described his inclusion as a full-circle moment.
"Missing out on that Euros squad helped me grow both as a player and a person, and most importantly, gave me a goal to work towards," he wrote. He was left out of Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad following a poor run of form, and his subsequent loan to Villa was the first step in a rehabilitation that ended with a World Cup place.
Rashford has already confirmed he wants to remain at Barcelona permanently rather than return to Old Trafford. No agreement has been reached between the two clubs on a transfer fee.
United finished third in the Premier League this season without him, securing Champions League football for the first time in several years.