Europa League: Marcus Rashford reacts to Manchester United's heartbreaking loss

Manchester United's star forward Marcus Rashford said "the feeling inside is difficult to explain" after their heartbreaking loss in the Europa League final on Wednesday.

Villarreal edged past the Red Devils 11-10 in a long penalty shootout to claim their maiden major trophy. While Manchester United head coach Ole

Gunnar Solskjaer's wait to win his first trophy with the club continues, Villarreal manager Unai Emery has become the most decorated coach in the competition with four silverware.

The penalty shootout saw 21 converted sport-kicks before Manchester United's shot-stopper David de Gea's final attempt was stopped by his opposite number, Geronimo Rulli.

Following the disappointing loss in Gdansk, Manchester United's Rashford said in a post-match interview that his side won't give up and Solskjaer won't let them give up.

"The feeling inside is difficult to explain because at the end of the day we came here to win. We've been working so hard all season and this was the opportunity to win a trophy and it didn't happen for whatever reason. Maybe not now, we have to get rid of the disappointment first, but after that, we need to look back at the game, see what we've done wrong, where we can improve and all I can say is the team will not give up. There's no chance that the team gives up. The manager will not give up, he won't allow us to give up and we will come next season with a bigger desire," Rashford was quoted by Manchester United's media, as saying in an interview.

"For me the club, the desire, the hunger, the talent, the ability, the squad, we have everything to compete at the highest level. We just have to show [it], we have to show it to the world and show [it] to ourselves. Show why we belong in the top places, why we belong in finals like this, why we need to be winning finals like this. In the league we finished second, second doesn't count for anything. It counts for nothing. Manchester City won the league, and we finished second but it means nothing. Villarreal win the Europa League and we finish second in it. For us it's nothing. I don't want to hear 'oh, they were so close' because it doesn't mean anything. There's one winner and there's one loser and today we lost and we have to find out why and make sure that next time we don't lose," added Rashford in the same interview.

Rashford suffered injuries in his shoulder and foot multiple times during the 2020-21 campaign. In the same interview, the English forward revealed that there were many players in the Manchester United squad who have not been fully fit since September. However, the players stuck together and fought for the club's success till the end of the season.

"To win big trophies you have to show sacrifice. I could walk you into the dressing room and I could show you five, six, seven players and me as well who had injuries here, from September, the beginning of the season and we all stayed together as a unit and we fought to be successful for the club. We come next season with more desire, more hunger and we have to do our best on the pitch. We have to give 110 per cent and I just said, the sacrifice, it means a lot because I know that in every club, they don't have this sacrifice. In the top clubs, they have it, this is why the top clubs win the trophies and we are close. I promise we are close, but close is not good enough, we have to be there," Rashford further explained.

In as many as 57 competitive appearances this season, Rashford netted 21 goals and provided 15 assists for Manchester United. The Red Devils finished runner's up in both Europa League and Premier League.