Rio Ferdinand Thinks England Is Missing Its Best Midfield Weapon Against Panama

Kobbie Mainoo hasn’t touched the field at the 2026 World Cup yet. And Rio Ferdinand is starting to wonder what Thomas Tuchel is waiting for.

England’s 0-0 draw with Ghana laid bare what the midfield pairing of Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice can and can’t do. They can win the ball back, sure. Anderson especially looked sharp turning over possession and resetting attacks. But moving the ball cleanly through the middle into dangerous areas? That’s not really their thing.

So Ferdinand, speaking on his podcast, made a pretty direct case for Mainoo to start against Panama this weekend.

“They’re great at retrieving the ball, at stopping the ball,” Ferdinand said. “But being able to get the ball off the backline and transfer it through the team precisely, through the lines, into the more dangerous areas and the final third — that’s not their first call.”

Ferdinand thinks Mainoo’s ability to beat a press and then either play a pass or dribble through it is legitimately better than both Rice and Anderson at this point. He said it’s just part of how Mainoo plays, not something he has to force.

Euro 2024 was the proof

This isn’t just about current form. Ferdinand pointed back to the last major tournament, where Mainoo was arguably England’s best player. He started the final against Spain alongside Rice. At 19 years old. That’s not nothing.

“Kobbie Mainoo’s best football he’s played in his whole career was at the Euros on the international scene,” Ferdinand said. “He was getting likened to Clarence Seedorf.”

The argument here is that international football is a different animal. It moves slower for most of the game. Then someone has to switch the pace — either with a run or a pass through the lines. Ferdinand believes Mainoo is that guy and that he’s already proven it at that level.

Anderson and Rice are clearly good at other things. But they’re similar players in a lot of ways. Mainoo offers something they don’t.

How Mainoo got back into the picture

It’s easy to forget that Mainoo was almost out the door at Manchester United in January. Ruben Amorim had him riding the bench in that 3-4-3 system. Then Amorim got fired, Michael Carrick took over, ditched the formation, went back to a 4-2-3-1, and put Mainoo right back in the middle of the park.

The 21-year-old responded by running games for the rest of the season. United finished third in the Premier League. Mainoo ended with one goal and three assists in 30 appearances across all competitions. Nothing flashy on the stat sheet, but anyone watching could see he was running the show.

Tuchel obviously noticed. He brought Mainoo to the World Cup. But so far he’s kept him on the bench while Anderson and Rice handle group stage duties.

Now comes Panama. And if England’s attack keeps looking clunky between the lines, the pressure to let Mainoo loose is only going to get louder.