 |
Rashford is preparing to join Barcelona. |
Historically, La Liga has always been a “difficult land” for stars from the foggy country. Difficulty in cultural integration, language barriers, living habits and tactical differences have caused many names to leave quietly.
Rashford now has a challenge on his shoulders: rewrite history or continue to be a victim of this "curse".
Jonathan Woodgate is a typical example. Real Madrid spent 18 million euros to have this central defender in 2004.
But on his debut, Woodgate scored an own goal and was sent off for a second yellow card. Injuries limited him to just 11 appearances in his only season before being loaned out to Middlesbrough and sold back for less than half the price.
Patrick Roberts did not fare much better when he played for Girona on loan from Man City in 2018. He only had one assist in 21 matches, leaving a big disappointment.
Jermaine Pennant at Zaragoza was also more famous for his off-field partying and scandals than his form, contributing just two assists in 26 games.
The list of “failures” is long with Stan Collymore (Oviedo), Peter Barnes (Betis) and Charlie I'Anson (Elche). Even Michael Owen - the 2001 Ballon d'Or winner - could not explode at Real Madrid. Despite scoring 16 goals and providing 4 assists in 45 games, he soon returned to England after only one season.
However, not all English players have failed in La Liga. Laurie Cunningham was the one who paved the way when he left his mark at Real Madrid.
Gary Lineker scored regularly for Barcelona, while Steve McManaman won major honours with Los Blancos. Michael Robinson at Osasuna and Vinny Samways at Las Palmas are also names that have left a positive impression.
 |
Jude Bellingham shone in his first year at Real Madrid. |
Recent generations have seen Jude Bellingham shine in his first season at Real Madrid, thanks to his international experience from a young age at Borussia Dortmund. Kieran Trippier was a key player in Atletico Madrid’s La Liga triumph, while David Beckham is still remembered as a class icon. Mason Greenwood, after a major incident, is also finding his form again with Getafe.
Rashford faces pressure not only from his reputation at Manchester United but also from the long-standing prejudice against English players in Spain. He must overcome the tactical and cultural barriers of La Liga football, which requires high technical skills, tactical thinking and the ability to adapt quickly.
If successful, Rashford could become a new icon, following in the footsteps of rare exceptions like Beckham or Bellingham. On the contrary, if he fails to integrate, he risks becoming the next name in a long list of English players who have "lost their rhythm" in La Liga.
Source: https://znews.vn/rashford-truoc-loi-nguyen-cau-thu-anh-tai-la-liga-post1570691.html
Comment (0)