Top News

Manchester United’s young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is yet to feature at the 2026 World Cup, making him the only England midfielder who has not played a single minute in the tournament so far.

Mainoo’s Premier League form saw an upturn after Michael Carrick took over as Manchester United’s interim head coach, a role that has since become permanent. The 21-year-old had struggled for consistency under Ruben Amorim but managed to regain his place in England’s plans through strong domestic performances.

Despite earning 14 senior caps and being known as a natural central midfielder, Mainoo has not been called upon to solve any of the midfield challenges facing England manager Thomas Tuchel during the campaign in the United States and Mexico this summer.

England’s first-choice midfield pairing of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson has remained largely unchanged, but Tuchel has had to rotate his squad in what has been an extended tournament. With England reaching the semi-finals, they are set to play eight matches in total. That rotation became more necessary when Rice fell ill.

The Arsenal midfielder had to be substituted at half-time in England’s quarter-final win over Norway, with his club teammate Eberechi Eze taking his place. Later in the match, when Anthony Gordon was substituted after 71 minutes, Reece James came on to fill a midfield role instead of Mainoo, pushing Eze out to the flank. Jude Bellingham has also featured in central areas, leaving Mainoo as an unused substitute.

Veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson, now 36, made a brief appearance as a substitute in the group stage against Panama. Even the decision to risk Rice’s fitness against Norway seemed to suggest that Tuchel does not view Mainoo as a trusted option in this World Cup.

The criticism of Mainoo’s inclusion has grown, particularly as some observers feel England might have been better served by taking another right-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s name has frequently been mentioned, though he too has been utilised in midfield for England in the past with limited success. As a result, Mainoo’s selection without apparent playing time has drawn scrutiny.

Nevertheless, former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes has urged patience, suggesting he would rather not see Mainoo thrown into action now as Rice races to recover for the semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday.

“It seems like it’s anybody but Kobbie Mainoo for Thomas Tuchel,” Scholes remarked on the programme The Good, The Bad & The Football.

“Only Tuchel will know why. I can’t imagine Kobbie being a problem in the camp. Every manager has their favourites.

“Honestly, I hope Kobbie doesn’t play now because he’s probably disheartened. He hasn’t had a real match to get into rhythm. Of course he’s been training, but if he’s suddenly thrown in, the only outcome could be negative.”

Despite the ongoing debate surrounding Mainoo’s absence, England remain in contention to reach a World Cup final on foreign soil for the first time in their 76-year history in the competition.

In that sense, Thomas Tuchel appears to be fulfilling his mandate and could yet deliver England’s second World Cup title. Mainoo’s lack of involvement, at least for now, has not hindered the team’s progress.

It remains an intriguing situation, though. Tuchel personally selected Mainoo for the squad and was responsible for bringing him back into the national setup, meaning the decision to keep him sidelined lies entirely with the England manager.