Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo called into England squad for first time
Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo has been promoted to the England senior squad for the friendlies with Brazil and Belgium. The 18-year-old midfielder joined Gareth Southgate’s senior squad on Tuesday having been named initially in the under-21s squad.
Mainoo, a former under-17 and under-19 international, has made an impressive breakthrough, with 20 appearances since a pre-season injury delayed his start to the campaign. He joined the 25 other players who reported for duty at St George’s Park to stake his claim for a place in the Euro 2024 squad.
He said: “I was with the under-21s and I got a text from [the England assistant manager] Steve Holland telling me to come and meet him at reception. He just told me I’ve been called up … I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, but I’m excited. [My family] are all buzzing.” On Instagram he posted: “It’s an honour.”
Since his first Premier League start this season, the 3-0 win at Everton in November, Mainoo, who was born in Stockport and is also eligible to play for Ghana, has won the plaudits of fans, colleagues and pundits. His emergence as a midfield starter has solved one of Erik ten Hag’s more pressing problems and pushed far more experienced players to the fringes.
“Kobbie is doing well, and the rest of the midfield is also performing well, so there is competition for places,” Christian Eriksen, recently used from the bench, told the Danish publication Tipsbladet.
Southgate said of Mainoo at the Nations League draw in February: “He’s doing brilliantly. I’m not certain he’s necessarily going to be a defensive midfielder, as such. He’s quite a progressive player but he’s had a fabulous start to his career and it will be good to monitor him.”
Mainoo will be hopeful of making his debut when England play Brazil on Saturday or against Belgium on Tuesday. The teenager’s call-up makes him a late challenger for a place within Southgate’s midfield, where much remains undecided. Jordan Henderson joined Ajax in January, leaving Saudi Arabian football, with retaining his England place in mind, and Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher is another staking a claim with decent club form.
While Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham have become mainstays under Southgate, others face a fight with Mainoo for a Euro 2024 squad berth, including Mason Mount, who has only just returned for United from injury, and Kalvin Phillips, who has been omitted by Southgate for these friendlies after struggling on loan at West Ham. Trent Alexander-Arnold, also missing through injury, represents another midfield option.