Marcus Rashford’s girlfriend is Lucia Loi, a 28-year-old PR professional he met at school in Greater Manchester. The two have been on-and-off since they were 15, got engaged in 2022, called it off in 2023, and reconciled again after Rashford’s move to FC Barcelona.
Marcus Rashford just helped England put four goals past Croatia in their World Cup opener, and he’s heading into the rest of the tournament in arguably the best form of his career. But behind the headlines about his resurgence at Barcelona and his place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad, there’s a quieter, longer-running story: his relationship with Lucia Loi, a partner who’s been part of his life since long before any of the fame.
If you’ve seen her name pop up alongside his and wondered who she is and what their history actually looks like, here’s the full picture.
Who Is Lucia Loi?
Lucia Loi is a 28-year-old PR professional and a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University. She’s not a public figure in her own right the way some athletes’ partners are; she’s kept a relatively low profile despite years of being connected to one of England’s most recognizable forwards.
Loi and Rashford go back further than most celebrity couples ever get the chance to. They met as students at Ashton on Mersey School in Greater Manchester and started dating when they were both just 15 years old. That means their relationship predates Rashford’s professional debut, his England call-up, and pretty much every headline that’s ever been written about him.
How Long Have Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi Been Together?
Counting from when they first started dating as teenagers, Rashford and Loi’s relationship spans well over a decade, even accounting for the periods they spent apart. That kind of timeline is rare in professional sports, where high-profile relationships often start and end within a single news cycle. Theirs has weathered breakups, a broken engagement, and a transatlantic move, and it’s still going.
The Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi Relationship Timeline
Their relationship hasn’t been a straight line, which is part of why “on-and-off” is the most accurate way to describe it.
The First Breakup During COVID-19
The couple split briefly in 2021. Reports at the time pointed to the pressures of COVID-19 lockdowns as a major factor, a strain that affected plenty of long-term couples during that period, not just famous ones. They got back together roughly eight months later.
The Proposal in Los Angeles
In May 2022, about a year after reconciling, Rashford proposed to Loi on a beach in Los Angeles. For a couple that had already been together for years at that point, the engagement read as a natural next step rather than a sudden whirlwind decision.
Calling Off the Engagement
The engagement didn’t lead to a wedding. Rashford and Loi called things off in June 2023, just over a year after he proposed. Neither party has gone into detail publicly about what led to that decision.
Reconciling Again
Despite the broken engagement, the two found their way back to each other. A source close to the couple told The Sun that some of Rashford’s best career moments have come when Loi was by his side, describing their bond as one built on friendship as much as romance:
“Marcus knows that some of the best moments in his career have occurred when Lucia has been at his side. They got together when they were very young and have had ups and downs, but a friendship has always remained. He knows that she is good for him and she is one of the few people in the world he knows has got his best interests at heart. She is very sensible and helps keep him grounded.”
That framing, friendship as the foundation underneath the romantic ups and downs, helps explain why this particular relationship has outlasted so many breakups that would have ended a less established couple for good.
Moving to Spain Together
When Rashford joined FC Barcelona on loan in July 2025, Loi relocated to Spain to support him through the move. That’s a significant commitment for a relationship that had already ended once via a broken engagement, and it suggests both people were serious about making this latest chapter work.
Who Is Marcus Rashford? A Quick Career Recap
Rashford, 28, came up through Manchester United’s youth academy after joining the club at age seven. He made his first-team debut at 18, scoring twice against Midtjylland in the Europa League, and quickly became a fixture in United’s attack for nearly a decade.
After a difficult stretch at United, Rashford spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan at Aston Villa, then joined Barcelona on a season-long loan in July 2025. The move paid off. He finished the 2025-26 La Liga campaign with eight goals and nine assists across 32 appearances, helping Barcelona win the league title and rediscovering the kind of form that had gone missing during his final years at United.
Rashford’s Role at the 2026 World Cup
That resurgence carried straight into the World Cup. England opened the tournament with a 4-2 win over Croatia, with Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Rashford all finding the net. Rashford came off the bench and scored an 85th-minute goal to seal the result, continuing the form that’s made him one of the standout stories of the season.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has been vocal about Rashford’s progress, having said back in the buildup to the tournament that Rashford “can be one of the best in the world” if he keeps building on his form at Barcelona. With Cole Palmer dealing with an absence, Rashford has a real opportunity to lock down a starting spot as the tournament progresses.
Why Marcus Rashford’s Relationship History Gets So Much Attention
Part of why fans keep tracking the Rashford and Loi story is the contrast it offers. Most relationships covered in sports media either start during a player’s rise to fame, which makes them feel tied to that fame, or unravel quickly under public pressure. Rashford and Loi’s relationship started years before he became a household name, which gives it a different texture entirely. It’s less “footballer dates a public figure” and more “two people who grew up together keep choosing each other, on and off, through a very public career.”
That doesn’t mean the relationship has been simple. A broken engagement is a significant rupture by any standard, and the couple clearly went through real strain during the years they were apart. But the throughline, the friendship a source said has remained constant, gives this story a different shape than most celebrity dating coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Marcus Rashford’s girlfriend?
Marcus Rashford’s girlfriend is Lucia Loi, a 28-year-old PR professional he met as a teenager at school in Greater Manchester. The two have been on-and-off partners for more than a decade.
Are Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi still together?
Yes, as of mid-2026. The couple reconciled after Rashford’s move to FC Barcelona, with Loi relocating to Spain to support him.
Did Marcus Rashford get engaged?
Yes. Rashford proposed to Loi on a beach in Los Angeles in May 2022. The couple called off the engagement in June 2023 but later got back together.
How did Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi meet?
They met as students at Ashton on Mersey School in Greater Manchester and began dating at age 15, years before Rashford’s professional career began.
Why did Marcus Rashford and Lucia Loi break up?
The couple split briefly in 2021, reportedly due to the pressures of COVID-19 lockdowns, and reconciled around eight months later. They also called off an engagement in 2023, though specific reasons for that separation haven’t been made public.
Stay Updated on Marcus Rashford’s World Cup Run
Rashford’s on-field form and England’s tournament campaign are both still developing stories. Check back for updates as the Three Lions continue their push through the 2026 World Cup.
