As revealed by L’Equipe, Manchester United fans are expressing their disappointment that Marcus Rashford did not make it to the 2023 Ballon d’Or nominations.
Despite his impressive performance last season, where he scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 56 matches for the club, the English star was not included in the list of nominees.
Rashford made significant contributions to United’s performance during Erik ten Hag’s debut season as manager in the Premier League. He scored 17 goals and provided five assists in the league, helping the team secure a third-place finish.
In the Europa League, the Academy graduate scored six goals and contributed two assists in nine matches, although United were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
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Additionally, he played a crucial role in the Carabao Cup, appearing in six matches and scoring six goals, ultimately helping the Red Devils secure the EFL Cup title, their first in six years.
Rashford’s outstanding form extended to the international stage, where he impressed for England during the 2022 World Cup, scoring three goals despite starting in only one of his five appearances.
Despite achieving a personal best goal tally for United last season, which marked a significant milestone in his career since coming up through the club’s youth system, Rashford still didn’t secure a place in the exclusive 30-player shortlist for the Ballon d’Or.
In contrast, Rasmus Hojlund, a summer signing for Manchester United, has secured a place among the top ten nominees for the Kopa Trophy.
The 20-year-old had an outstanding breakthrough season with Atalanta last year before his £64 million transfer to United. He scored nine goals and provided four assists in 32 Serie A appearances and also netted six times in four European Championship qualification matches for Denmark.
Notably, Cristiano Ronaldo has missed out on a nomination for the 2023 awards, marking the end of his incredible 20-year streak in the trophy’s history.
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The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had a disappointing 2022-23 season and his transfer to the Saudi Pro League was surrounded by controversy due to his dramatic exit from Old Trafford.
Additionally, the football icon did not make a noteworthy impact during the World Cup with Portugal, resulting in his absence from the Ballon d’Or rankings for the first time in 20 years.
