Kobbie Mainoo went to the 2026 World Cup as one of England’s most in-form midfielders. He came back without playing a single minute. And by all accounts, he wasn’t happy about it.
The 21-year-old Manchester United midfielder had just wrapped up a strong Premier League season under Michael Carrick. He had 14 caps already. He’d impressed at Euro 2024. So when Thomas Tuchel didn’t put him on the field at all in the tournament, it raised questions inside the England camp and out.
According to a report from The Athletic, Mainoo’s body language told a pretty clear story. He was often the first player off the team bus and the first to leave the stadium after matches. Sources close to the squad described him as looking ‘forlorn’ at times and characterized the situation as generally ‘unhappy’.
A confusing role for a player with something to offer
The real question is why Mainoo was even there if Tuchel had no intention of using him. The Athletic says his role was a major talking point within the squad. There was confusion about whether he was just there to fill a roster spot or if the coaching staff genuinely saw him as a contributor. It seems Mainoo himself expected the latter.
His skill set is different from Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson. He’s more of a ball-carrier, someone who can break lines and keep possession under pressure. That profile could have been useful in certain game states. But Tuchel went with other options and never looked back.
It’s worth remembering that this isn’t the first time Mainoo has been sidelined by a coach. Under previous United boss Ruben Amorim, he found himself frozen out for stretches. There might be something about his game that doesn’t click with certain managers. But Carrick clearly trusts him, and so did Gareth Southgate at the last Euros.
United fans know what he can do. He’s shown it consistently at a club where the spotlight is brutal. The argument that he’s too young or too inexperienced doesn’t really hold water when you look at what he’s already done for both club and country.
Mainoo is back in Manchester now. The World Cup is over. And the biggest story from his tournament is that he never got to be part of it. That’s not how it was supposed to go. And from the looks of it, he won’t forget it anytime soon.
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