Marcus Rashford and Axel Tuanzebe are set for a World Cup reunion that will carry a distinct Manchester United academy thread.
England face DR Congo in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, 1 July, at Atlanta Stadium, with local listings placing the knockout tie at 12:00 in Atlanta. For United supporters, the subplot is obvious: Rashford and Tuanzebe came through the same Old Trafford pathway before their careers split in sharply different directions.
The Sun reports that the pair attended Ashton-on-Mersey School in Greater Manchester and developed through United’s youth system, with Rashford now representing England and Tuanzebe lining up for DR Congo.
United Academy Story Gets Global Stage
That contrast gives the tie more than a tournament edge. Rashford remains a major United asset even with his club future unresolved after Barcelona chose not to trigger their buy option. Tuanzebe, released by United in 2023, has rebuilt his international identity with DR Congo after previously representing England at youth level.
For Michael Carrick, the wider lesson is still useful. United’s academy does not only produce first-team regulars; it produces footballers who can reach the knockout stage of a World Cup by different routes.
Rashford’s immediate task is more direct. If he starts, he has a chance to turn another England moment into leverage before returning to a United squad still waiting for clarity around his future.
Read Man Utd has already tracked how Rashford’s possible Old Trafford route remains live, while his earlier England impact gave United a transfer question they cannot duck.
Now the next test comes with a familiar face on the other side. For Rashford and Tuanzebe, this is a World Cup knockout tie. For United, it is another reminder of how far the academy’s influence can travel.
