Manchester United teenager Kobbie Mainoo is now a fully-fledged England international with his new teammate Declan Rice sending a message.
At Wembley on Tuesday night it was cap number two for Kobbie Mainoo, his first start for the Three Lions and he’s been an instant hit.
The Manchester United teenager was excellent in midfield, making two senior Premier League midfielders – Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans – look a level below at times.
Mainoo was fielded alongside Arsenal’s Declan Rice while Jude Bellingham was the number 10. He looked right at home in this trio and was even handed the Man of the Match award.
Fans were blown away by the display and now his England teammates have joined in with the praise of Mainoo.
Declan Rice sends Kobbie Mainoo a message
Gareth Southgate has found his perfect midfielder in Mainoo, as he and Rice form an incredible duo which can compete with the best across the world.
After the Man of the Match winning display from Mainoo, he took to his Instagram with photos of his evening along with the captain ‘#1280’ which signified that he is the 1280th player to get an England cap.
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Under Mainoo’s post, he received messages from countless teammates at both club and country levels, including his captain against Belgium.
Rice commented “Levels! See you soon”, followed by a star emoji which perfectly suits Mainoo as he continues to rise through the ranks in the footballing world.
Mainoo’s display for England has shown Manchester United where they need to strengthen this summer
Against Belgium, Mainoo was deployed in a number eight role which gave him license to join the attack and he progressed the ball excellently.
For England’s penalty, Mainoo played the pivotal role as he flipped the game on its head in an instance, dribbling forward through the Belgium lines.
He did this multiple times and giving Mainoo this license could be an excellent plan going forward for Erik ten Hag.
That being said, United need to sign a natural number six in the mould of Rice, that would allow Mainoo to have a freer role. This could mean the ideal signing for the position this summer is Onana, whom Mainoo battled against last night.
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
