Kobbie Mainoo showcased his talent on his full debut for England against Belgium, reinforcing Gareth Southgate’s decision to swiftly integrate him into the senior squad.
The 18-year-old prodigy has been making waves for Manchester United recently, establishing himself as a crucial player under Erik ten Hag’s management. Impressed by his performances, Southgate elevated him from the Under 21 side to the senior team.
.jpg "Kobbie Mainoo's brilliant contribution leads to England's equalizer against Belgium 1")
Mainoo delivered an impressive cameo appearance against Brazil on Saturday, earning himself a starting spot in midfield at Wembley on Tuesday.
With England trailing 1-0 due to a Jordan Pickford error leading to Youri Tielemans’ opener, Mainoo produced a moment of brilliance to turn the tide. Showing remarkable confidence, he maneuvered through midfield, evading challenges before setting up Jude Bellingham, who then assisted Ivan Toney, drawing a foul from Jan Vertonghen.
Mainoo’s contribution was captivating, showcasing his immense talent and potential.
Although Jarrod Bowen appeared to give England the lead with a header from a corner, VAR intervened, ruling it out for offside. Belgium then extended their lead with Tielemans scoring his second goal, capitalizing on slack defending from Lewis Dunk, after a splendid cross from Romelu Lukaku.
Mainoo emerged as England’s standout performer of the evening, with Southgate praising his abilities ahead of the match.
In his press conference, he said: “He [Mainoo] seems very calm. Definitely you can see he is taking everything in. Talking to him tactically, he seems able to take all those concepts on.
“There are a lot of steps being taken in a very short period of time but you saw in the brief cameo the other day some of the qualities he has.
“I think also sometimes, with the really young ones, they are not even thinking about that. It is all flowing and maybe then as you get a bit older you start to think about it a bit more.
“When you get even older you cannot care less about it and you go again. It is a beautiful, innocent moment when he is just in the flow. And lapping up the opportunities as they come.”