Kobbie Mainoo is enjoying one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent Manchester United memory. Six months ago, the 21-year-old midfielder couldn’t get on the pitch under then-manager Ruben Amorim. Now he’s starting for England at the World Cup in the United States, fresh off scoring a winning goal against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The difference? A coaching change, a renewed sense of belief, and — according to Mainoo himself — a childhood routine that bordered on obsessive.
Speaking to United’s official website ahead of England’s Group Stage opener against Croatia, Mainoo revealed how he developed the technical skills that have made him one of Europe’s most promising young midfielders. It started, he said, with YouTube rabbit holes and a field next to his house.
“Obviously watching United, I’d say Rooney [caught my attention early on], and then I used to watch YouTube a lot, skills and stuff,” Mainoo explained. “It was always Ronaldinho, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, people like that.”
But the real work, Mainoo said, began at dawn.
“I’d watch these things on YouTube and then there was a field right next to my house. So then say if I watched them the night before… I’d get my boots and my kit ready, lay it out at the foot of my bed. Then, as soon as I woke up, jump out of bed and go to the field and practice.”
He added with a laugh: “Try and drag someone with me, anyone — a mannequin, my dad, my sister, anyone!”
From Loan Request to World Cup Starter
Mainoo’s rise looks inevitable now, but it was anything but. According to multiple reports, Amorim had little faith in the youngster and rarely gave him first-team minutes early in the season. Frustrated, Mainoo requested a loan move away in January. Napoli reportedly expressed strong interest.
Then Amorim was sacked. Interim boss Darren Fletcher immediately restored Mainoo to the starting XI. Michael Carrick, who took over after Fletcher, kept him there. Mainoo repaid that trust with a series of standout performances, including the dramatic winner against Liverpool that seemed to flip a switch in his career trajectory.
“That routine definitely helped me a lot,” Mainoo said of his early-morning practice sessions. The midfielder credits those unsupervised, instinct-driven repetitions with building the close control and creativity that now define his game.
What It Means for England and United
Mainoo’s inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad was widely celebrated by English fans. With his ability to receive the ball under pressure and drive forward, he offers something different in a midfield that has sometimes lacked creativity against compact defenses.
For Manchester United, the question now is how to build around him. The club has not confirmed any transfer interest since his resurgence, but with top teams across Europe watching, his value has skyrocketed. Napoli, ironically, may now have to look elsewhere.
For now, Mainoo is focused on the World Cup. And he’s still watching videos — just maybe not at midnight anymore.
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