Rio Ferdinand has recommended that Marcus Rashford, the new Barcelona striker, steer clear of copying Lionel Messi’s style as he adapts to his new club. Rashford, who recently arrived at Barcelona on loan from Manchester United, marked his debut with an appearance in a friendly against Vissel Kobe and scored in a match versus K League’s Daegu.
On the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the former Manchester United defender suggested that Rashford would gain more from focusing on the example set by Pedro Rodriguez, known for his tactical intelligence and work ethic, rather than attempting to replicate the dazzling skills of icons like Messi and Thierry Henry.
“If I was on his team now, I’m going ‘Right, don’t watch Messi, don’t watch Henry, don’t watch Eto’o, don’t watch Villa, watch Pedro, the winger from before in our time. Why am I watching him? He’s not the best player, he’s not as talented, he not like Marcus, he don’t play the same way, no, no, no.”
Ferdinand highlighted Pedro’s relentless aggression and his ability to spark Barcelona’s play as reasons why Rashford should look to him as a role model. He mentioned that despite Barcelona’s star-studded lineup, Pedro’s contributions were taken very seriously by opponents.
“The press, he was the instigator, he was the trigger, bang and he was aggressive without the ball. We probably spent as much time talking about him as anyone else in the team before the game. And in that Barca team, I guarantee you, you speak to all them man, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, talk about great players in that team, he’ll be one of the first names they talk about because of what he gave them.”
Rashford’s admiration for Messi and anticipation of playing with Lamine Yamal
Following his move to Barcelona, Rashford expressed his admiration for Lionel Messi, naming him his favorite player in Barcelona’s history. He also expressed excitement about teaming up with Barcelona’s promising young talent, Lamine Yamal, ahead of the upcoming season.
Rashford’s past comments on Messi’s greatness
Marcus Rashford previously sparked discussion when asked about the debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the greatest player of all time. Despite later playing alongside Ronaldo during the latter’s return to Manchester United, Rashford maintained his view that Messi deserves that title.
In a 2018 interview with CNN Sports, Rashford said:
“Some of the stuff that he does is unbelievable. I’m a big fan of (Cristiano) Ronaldo as well, but I think Messi is the greatest ever.”
To date, Rashford and Messi have faced each other just twice, both times during the 2019 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals between Manchester United and Barcelona. Barcelona prevailed over two legs with a 4-0 aggregate score.
What this means for Rashford’s development at Barcelona
Ferdinand’s counsel to concentrate on Pedro’s style underscores the importance of adapting one’s game to Barcelona’s tactical demands rather than relying solely on natural flair. Embracing the discipline and positioning exemplified by Pedro could help Rashford thrive within Barcelona’s system more quickly. As Rashford seeks to forge his path at the Catalan club, focusing on efficiency and teamwork rather than individual brilliance may enable him to maximize his impact on the pitch while honoring Barcelona’s storied playing philosophy.