Dalot's Ultimate Five-a-Side Team Snubs Rashford for Martial

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot has unveiled his ultimate five-a-side team, making the surprising decision to exclude Marcus Rashford and instead include Anthony Martial, a forward once signed for £58 million who struggled to fulfil his potential at Old Trafford.

Shocking Omission of Rashford

Appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, Dalot was tasked with selecting a team based on players he has played with or against during his career. Notably absent was Rashford, who shared a dressing room with Dalot for seven years and is currently on loan at Barcelona. The Portuguese right-back, 26, opted for Martial, explaining that the Frenchman used to amaze him in training sessions.

Dalot said: 'It would be Chris (Ronaldo). And I’m going to put one more up front. I’m going to say Martial.'

Ferdinand's Surprise and Dalot's Justification

Ferdinand expressed astonishment at the selection, prompting Dalot to elaborate. 'I’m going to say it because I’m going to combine what, obviously, he could do in games, but in training,' Dalot explained. 'And I played a lot against him, so it was really, really tough to play. And he was one of those that, if he had obviously a bit more consistency, sometimes he would disconnect a little bit from everything. But if he wanted, he could be the best player in the world. Easily.'

Ferdinand then revealed that Michael Carrick, the current Manchester United interim manager, spoke incredibly highly of Martial when he first signed for the club. 'You know, Carrick said to me when he first signed that Martial could win the Ballon d’Or,' he said.

Martial's Training Brilliance and Career Path

Dalot went on to describe Martial's training performances as moments that could halt sessions. 'In training, he could do things that you’d say you had to stop training. You know, those moments where you say… you want to blow the whistle and say, “Okay, let’s go inside.” And I had a few. I remember Juan Mata also had those things of quality.'

Martial signed for Manchester United from Monaco in 2015 but never fully realised his potential at the club, scoring 63 goals in 209 games before loans to Sevilla and a move to AEK Athens in 2024. The 30-year-old currently plays for Monterrey in Mexico.

Rashford's Exclusion and Dalot's Full Team

When asked about Rashford's omission, Dalot acknowledged his talent but stood by his choice. 'Yeah, Rashford also. Rashford also. Rashford could be anything that he wants also. But I put Anthony (in the team) and I don’t put Rashford because, in training, at the top, Anthony was a little bit different. And he could do everything. Yeah, both ways.'

For the rest of his five-a-side team, Dalot selected:

Pepe on the back line, whom he praised for his on-pitch intensity despite being mild-mannered off it.
Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in the middle, highlighting Pogba's unique combination of size and skill.

Dalot described Pogba as a 'tier one' player, noting his versatility and humour. Of the selected players, only Bruno Fernandes is currently a teammate at Manchester United.

Dalot's Praise for Fernandes and Current Form

When Ferdinand asked if Fernandes is the best player in the Premier League, Dalot responded: 'He’s definitely one of the best players in the league. That’s factual. It’s not like: “Okay, you can give your opinion, you might like it or not” but it’s factual. If you don’t see it, it’s because you just don’t want it.'

Dalot has been a mainstay for Manchester United this season, making 163 appearances for the club in total. The Portuguese defender will next be in action for his side on their tricky away trip to face Everton on Monday night.

The full interview is available on the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.