Tuchel set to bench Rashford for England's World Cup opener against Croatia

Marcus Rashford faces the prospect of missing out on a starting place when England open their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday, with Thomas Tuchel reportedly set to hand the left-wing role to Anthony Gordon instead.

According to the Daily Mail, Tuchel is expected to start Gordon — who recently completed a £69 million move from Newcastle to Barcelona — on the left flank for the Group L fixture. Given that both Rashford and Gordon operate on the same side of the forward line, the Manchester United forward appears likely to begin the match among the substitutes.

Rashford, 28, earned his place in England’s squad after an impressive loan spell at Barcelona last season, contributing 14 goals and 14 assists across all competitions. He featured in both of England’s pre-tournament friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica, though he was named on the bench for the second of those matches, with Gordon preferred from the start.

England have set up their World Cup base in Kansas City following a two-week training camp in Miami. After Croatia, Tuchel’s side will also face Ghana and Panama in the group stage, and Rashford will be hoping to force his way into the starting XI as the tournament progresses.

The news adds another layer of uncertainty to Rashford’s immediate future. Barcelona’s decision to sign Gordon permanently from Newcastle has cast doubt over whether the Spanish club will still trigger the £26 million option-to-buy clause that would have made Rashford’s move from United permanent. Reports surfaced on Sunday that Rashford has already been exploring a return to United’s first-team squad for next season and has been in regular contact with manager Michael Carrick.