Among a star-studded side having big-name players like Bellingham, Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, etc., it was a 19-year-old who shone the brightest on the pitch. At the start of the tournament, Manchester United’s find of the season, Kobbie Mainoo found himself on the England bench. But as the tournament progressed, he became integral to the English first team. England’s match against the Netherlands yesterday in the Euros 2024 Semifinals was just Mainoo’s 3rd start for the Three Lions in a major tournament in just his 7th appearance.
And throughout the 90 minutes, the Red Devils player showed what the hype about him was all about. Undoubtedly the best English player on the field, the teenager got a standing ovation at the Signal Iduna Park when he was subbed out in the 93rd minute. Every time the Netherlands found themselves on the counter-attack or when England lost possession in threatening areas, Kobbie Mainoo made sure that he stood between the Dutch and Pickford. Many feel that it was him, who was the deserved recipient of the MOTM award, and rightly so. Because, while Ollie Watkins surely had a huge impact with a banging finish at the stroke of 90 minutes of regulation time, the Aston Villa striker had been on the field for not more than 9 minutes. On the other hand, Kobbie Mainoo had been bossing the Dutch midfield for the whole game.
An unprecedented rise to the very top
The only name on the England Squad that no one knew about 12 months before the Euros is that of Kobbie Mainoo. Every other England player has been around the block for 1-2 years at least, while others are much more experienced in top-flight football. So how does someone get a call-up after having played not even 2 full seasons at the top level and suddenly become an important player in the National first team? Well, if you are Kobbie Mainoo, anything is possible.
In an EFL Cup game in January 2023, Kobbie Mainoo made his senior Manchester United Debut while being only 17 years old. But it wasn’t until the 2023-24 season that he would get a lot of playing time. With Mason Mount and Casemiro out injured for a huge part of the season Erik Ten Hag would give Kobbie Mainoo a long stint in the first team. And it wasn’t long before fans around the world saw something in the Mancunian teenager. An 18-year-old player was tearing up midfield and playing with the IQ and control of a 28-year-old. It was during this phase when he scored a memorable goal against long-time rivals Liverpool to win his side the match. With abilities exceeding his age, he managed to become one of United’s best players of the season which would earn him an England call-up with just 3 months to go for the Euros to start.
Strong performances in friendlies against Belgium and Iceland saw him get into the England squad for the Continental Championship. Mainoo was used as a substitute at the start of the tournament. But with England not playing at the level they should, Gareth Southgate decided to make changes moving forward, for which he looked at the English bench. Kobbie Mainoo impressed whenever he got a chance to perform and after a blockbuster performance against Slovenia, was made a starter just in time for the Knockout stages. Now after being a huge part of England’s journey to the Euros Finals, the 19-year-old will be counted on to deliver a match-winning performance against a rampant Spanish midfield. In Mainoo, it would be fair to say that Manchester United and England have found a star midfielder for the next 15 years.
