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When Gautam Gambhir Shocked The Internet Choosing Rashford Over Ronaldo Or Messi

Kaushik Kashyap

Gautam Gambhir picked his best footballer. [Source - CriccrazyJohns/433/x.com]Gautam Gambhir picked his best footballer. [Source - CriccrazyJohns/433/x.com]

Back in December 2023, Gautam Gambhir sent shockwaves across the sporting world during a seemingly casual interview. In a moment no one saw coming, the former Indian cricketer boldly picked Marcus Rashford as his prefered footballer over other world football icons, igniting a chaos in the internet that went beyond the boundaries between cricket and football fandom.

Gambhir’s Unexpected Choice Ignored the Messi Ronaldo GOAT Talk

It was not during a football show, nor did it come from a known football pundit. This unexpected twist came from a cricketer renowned for his own style and match-winning grit. The moment came during a “This or That” segment with Sportskeeda Cricket, where Gambhir was asked to choose between everyday preferences.

When the question came on to choose between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Gambhir, without hesitation, chose Marcus Rashford instead. The reaction was instant. Fans across platforms were stunned. How did Rashford, then struggling with form, become Gambhir’s pick over global icons like Messi or Ronaldo?

Fast forward to July 2025, and Rashford’s loan move to FC Barcelona has brought that wild moment back into the spotlight. With Rashford donning the iconic Blaugrana jersey, Gambhir’s unexpected shout-out suddenly feels like much more than a fluke.

Rashford’s Barcelona Move Now Proves Gambhir’s Choice Was Spot On

Now it feels like a spark of what is coming in the future. It now seems like Rashford is on the verge of arriving to his best days, ready to become a world-beater, which no one saw coming, just as Gautam Gambhir predicted back then.

Fans are now digging up the Gambhir clip, to relive the moment. Whether it was Gambhir’s sixth sense or just favoritism, the fact remains that he saw something many didn’t. And now, with Rashford preparing for a fresh start in Spain, Gambhir’s viral moment has aged better than anyone expected.