Kobbie Mainoo will leave England’s World Cup camp without having played a single minute for the Three Lions this summer.
Manchester United fans rejoiced when Kobbie Mainoo was called up to Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man World Cup squad this summer.
It was the ultimate reward for Mainoo’s resurgence under Michael Carrick in the second half of the 2025/26 season, having spent the first half frozen out under Ruben Amorim.
But Tuchel has overlooked Mainoo all summer, denying the 21-year-old a single minute of football. There were suggestions that Mainoo should leave the England camp instead of accepting a role in the meaningless third-place playoff. Instead, he missed out through injury.
What is your verdict on Kobbie Mainoo pulling out of England’s third place playoff fixture with an ‘injury’…
What is Kobbie Mainoo’s injury?
England released an official statement ahead of their match against France that Mainoo was not included in the squad because of injury.
Immediately, rumours and theories started to swirl that Mainoo had actually rejected the chance to play in the third-place playoff match against France.
But Thomas Tuchel said after the 6-4 victory: “Kobbie was injured in the last training session yesterday morning.
“He had a sharp pain in the back within the training and he was not ready to play.”
According to Transfermarkt and their assessment of Mainoo’s injury history, he has never been ruled out before due to a back problem. Of course, it could be a new type of setback for the midfielder, but it certainly isn’t a recurring issue for the Manchester United midfielder.
Let us hear your thoughts on Thomas Tuchel’s treatment of Kobbie Mainoo
Kobbie Mainoo will have a point to prove in 2026/27
It has been a very strange tournament for Mainoo, who leaves the England camp as the only player in the entire squad not to play a single minute.
Last season, Mainoo had a point to prove against Amorim after the Portuguese head coach slumped him down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
What followed was Mainoo’s best football in a United shirt.
READ MORE: Thomas Tuchel’s lame World Cup excuse is ironic after Kobbie Mainoo snub
Next season, Tuchel has stoked another fire that Mainoo can channel in his performances, and Carrick will hope for a similar outcome.
It’s time for Mainoo to get his head down and use his World Cup frustration to help fulfil his exciting potential at Old Trafford.
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