Kobbie Mainoo could start for England at the European Championship. He is that good and he is only going to get better.
I’d have no qualms telling Gareth Southgate to pick him because, despite only being 18, Kobbie has shown nothing but maturity throughout his Manchester United career.
He has played above his age group through the years, he excelled in the FA Youth Cup and then in December he played in a cauldron atmosphere at Anfield without missing a beat.
On Sunday against Liverpool in the FA Cup, some of his movement, his quick feet, his composure… you had to admire him. He was terrific.
I’d be cautious before saying the sky’s the limit because he can still make improvements, but the great thing with this kid is that he is willing to listen and learn.
I first saw him in the FA Youth Cup when he was in the same side as Alejandro Garnacho who beat Nottingham Forest in the 2022 final. He had impressed me earlier in the competition and, being a midfielder, I was keen to see what he was about. He had everything. He could pass, tackle, dribble and had goals in him.
I saw him again last summer in the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, when he came on tour and played in a 2-0 win over Arsenal.
He was facing Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, so I thought he would be up against it, but he ran the show. He had no fear and was making excellent decisions with the ball.
He was man of the match until he had to go off.
He has since proved that was no fluke. He is comfortable in that company. I’ve been down to watch him train and he is exactly the same.
He is not flustered by the big names alongside him. He is demanding the ball, not afraid to show for it. He is brimming with confidence but he is not arrogant. I’ve not met him properly but he strikes me as a level-headed individual. He’s not mouthy, he’s just assured in what he does.
I’d like to see him given the responsibility of both playing as a defensive midfielder and given licence to go forward, because he has the ability and game intelligence. He is a quick learner, so he will adapt to what’s around him and, as he showed with his brilliant winning goal at Wolves in February, he can offer an attacking threat.
There are few bigger tests than playing Brazil and Belgium but I believe he can adapt. International football is harder. I know you play against top players every week in the Premier League, but you notice as a player when you make the step up that everyone is better.
It will be a great help to Kobbie to have the likes of Harry Maguire around him and maybe Luke Shaw down the line, but I see no reason why he can’t stake a claim to start in Germany in June.
Much will hinge 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 formation must have him behind Harry Kane, with Phil Foden on the left and Bukayo Saka on the right.
Put Rice behind and Kobbie would give good energy alongside him. He has a huge future if he maintains his current mindset and he won’t let the country down.
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.
