Wayne Rooney Challenges Marcus Rashford to Break Goals Record

Wayne Rooney has thrown down a challenge to Marcus Rashford, insisting the forward is the only player capable of breaking his Manchester United goals record – but only if he rediscovers his hunger.

Rashford is back at Old Trafford and involved in Michael Carrick’s pre-season plans after Barcelona opted against turning last season’s loan into a permanent move. At 28, and with a failed attempt to push for a fresh start away from United – including a loan spell at Aston Villa in 2025 – this feels like a reset rather than a continuation.

Rooney, speaking on his new podcast Stick to United, made it clear the talent has never been the issue.

"It’s just such a strange one with Marcus because I think we know he’s got the ability. I think he’s shown that," said the club’s all-time leading scorer, who hit 253 goals in United colours.

The question, in Rooney’s eyes, cuts deeper.

"For me, has he got the hunger, does he want to play for Manchester United? Now, if he wants to play for Manchester United, I think the first thing he has to do – I’ve been there in 2010 when I asked to leave the football club – he has to build a relationship with the fans."

Rooney knows what it means to repair that bond. He did it himself after his own transfer saga. His advice to Rashford is blunt and simple: start with the basics.

"And the easiest way to do that is to work hard and body language. I think Marcus’ body language isn’t great, and so it might be something he has to work on. He might have to work with someone to make his body language look better."

"I think his work rate has to improve, but if he wants to be at the football club, he just needs to knuckle down. You do it, and he’s a young lad. He’s from Manchester. He’s the one player who can go and get my goalscoring record."

Rashford currently sits 15th on United’s all-time scoring list with 138 goals. He has not played for the club since December 2024, when he fell out of favour under then-manager Ruben Amorim, prompting temporary moves to Villa Park and Camp Nou.

Rooney made it clear he has no interest in watching Rashford flourish anywhere but Old Trafford.

"I don’t want to see Marcus Rashford doing well at Aston Villa or doing well at Barcelona," he said. "I want to see him doing well at Manchester United and scoring goals for Manchester United. But that means he has to he has to just get his head down, work his socks off, and then be more positive."

The responsibility, Rooney stressed, lies squarely with the player.

"But it’s on him. If he’s back playing for Manchester United, I think he has to have a real close look at who’s round him.

"Only he can say who the people are around him who he really trusts. Because there’s not many people you trust really. It’d be a small amount of people, keep them close to him, go into training, work hard, get himself right. If he does that, he’ll be fine."

The record is there, 253 goals away in the distance. Rooney believes only one man in the current generation can chase it down. Now it’s up to Rashford to decide if he truly wants to.