Kobbie Mainoo could start for England at the European Championship. He is so good and he will only get better.
I would have no qualms telling Gareth Southgate to pick him because, despite being only 18, Kobbie has shown nothing but maturity throughout his Manchester United career.
He has played above his age group over the years, he excelled in the FA Youth Cup and then in December he played in a cauldron atmosphere at Anfield without lacking pace.
Sunday against Liverpool in the FA Cup, some of his movements, his quick feet, his composure… you had to admire him. He was great.
I would be careful to say anything is possible because he still has room for improvement, but the great thing about this child is that he is willing to listen and learn.
Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo fully deserves promotion to England senior team
The 18-year-old midfielder has shown nothing but maturity throughout his short United career so far.
I saw Mainoo back when he was in the academy and he had everything. He could pass, tackle, dribble and score
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I first saw him in the FA Youth Cup when he was in the same team as Alejandro Garnacho who beat Nottingham Forest in the 2022 final. He had impressed me earlier in the competition and, being midfielder, I couldn’t wait to see what he was talking about. He had everything. He could pass, tackle, dribble and had goals in him.
I saw him again last summer at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, when he came on tour and played in a 2-0 win against Arsenal.
He was up against Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, so I thought he would face that, but he was the one who ran the show. He had no fear and made excellent decisions with the ball.
He was man of the match until he had to come off.
He has since proven that it was no accident. He is comfortable in this company. I went to watch him train and he’s exactly the same.
He is not troubled by the big names at his side. He demands the ball and isn’t afraid to show it. He’s full of confidence but he’s not arrogant. I haven’t met him properly, but he seems like a level-headed person to me. He doesn’t speak, he’s just confident in what he’s doing.
I would like him to be given the responsibility to play both as a defensive midfielder and given the license to move forward because he has the ability and playing intelligence. learns quickly, so he will adapt to what is around him and, as he showed with his brilliant winning goal against Wolves in February, he can offer an attacking threat.
There are few bigger tests than playing against Brazil and Belgium, but I think he can adapt. International football is more difficult. I know you play against the best players every week in the Premier League, but you notice as a player, when you take the step, that everyone is better.
It will be a big help for Kobbie to have Harry Maguire around him and perhaps Luke Shaw later, but I see no reason why he can’t stake his claim for a start in Germany in June.
Mainoo showed with his brilliant goal against Wolves last month that he can provide an attacking threat
There is no reason why Mainoo can’t start for Gareth Southgate’s England side alongside Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden at Euro 2024 this summer.
Much will depend on how Gareth deploys Jude Bellingham, but with Kalvin Phillips out of form the door is open for Kobbie.
Given Bellingham’s form for Real Madrid, England’s best line-up must have him behind Harry Kane, with Phil Foden on the left and Bukayo Saka on the right.
Put Rice in behind and Kobbie would provide good energy alongside him. He has a huge future if he maintains his current mindset and won’t let the country down.