Why isn’t Marcus Rashford starting for England against Ghana at the 2026 World Cup?

England have already confirmed their lineup against Ghana for their second match of the 2026 World Cup, with Marcus Rashford among the notable players not included in the starting eleven.

The reason Rashford isn’t starting for England is technical, as Thomas Tuchel has chosen Anthony Gordon over him. It is a decision based on the manager’s preference for this match rather than any fitness issue.

Even if Rashford remains one of the most experienced attacking players in the squad, Tuchel has decided to go with a different option after choosing the same attack that did a very good job in the 4-2 victory over Croatia in their first match.

The replacement

Tuchel has opted for Gordon on the left wing instead of Rashford after the new Barcelona player had a strong match a few days ago. The younger winger also brings a different profile with his work rate and direct running.

It was not an easy decision considering Rashford made an impact in England’s first match of the tournament. The forward scored against Croatia and continued to show why he remains an important part of the squad despite not being in the starting lineup today.

Rashford may still earn significant minutes as the tournament progresses, especially with England looking to manage their players carefully ahead of the knockout rounds. For now, Gordon gets the opportunity to start on the left side of the attack.

England’s next match

Regardless of the result against Ghana, England will close their Group L campaign on June 27 against Panama. With qualification potentially already secured by then, that match could provide an opportunity for Tuchel to rotate his squad and give minutes to more players.