As England prepare for Wednesday's clash with Argentina, spare a thought for Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, the 21-year-old who has cut a gloomy figure amid his role as the forgotten man of the Three Lions.
Ruben Amorim, no, sorry, Thomas Tuchel, has repeatedly ignored the Stockport-born in this competition so far, doing anything but letting the youngster off the pitch.
Be it fly-half Declan Rice, injury-prone defender Reece James, or tens of natural numbers in the form of Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, and Eberechi Eze, a host of players have now all received the nod from Mainoo, including veteran Jordan Henderson.
It begs the question of why the United man was included first, although even so, Tuchel's loss could be Michael Carrick's gain.
Why England's Mainoo snub would be good news for Man Utd
Perhaps Tuchel echoes Amorim's concerns about Mainoo's mobility and athleticism, although those traits do not appear to be a problem at Euro 2024, as the then-youngster helped propel Gareth Southgate's side to the final.
After a tense group stage, the Carrington graduate's involvement proved crucial to at least sparking an improved performance in the knockout rounds, with Mainoo looking particularly strong in the semi-final against the Netherlands.
Alas, it doesn't look like it will have a negative impact on this, ensuring that the youngster could return to Old Trafford with a bit between his teeth later this summer, left with a point to prove after being frustrated last month anyway.
He certainly isn't unusual in dispelling doubters, overcoming a difficult spell under Amorim in 2025 to emerge as a central midfielder under Carrick in 2026, only missing out on defeat to Leeds United at the end of the season.
He had a point to prove after being left out in the cold by the Portuguese coach, and boy did he do it, quickly securing a new, well-deserved deal to cement his position as the Red Devils' young talent.
With Carrick now in charge permanently, Mainoo could grow even further. Fellow international Elliot Anderson may have commanded £116m this summer, but is United's number 37 a “£100m footballer” himself?
In any case, Mainoo will be a midfielder next term, and the question now is who will work with him?
Man Utd are in talks to sign another Mainoo for £85m
Whether they are good players or not is another matter, but there is a lot to like about the way Man United have gone about their business so far, with deals to secure Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans almost gone.
In Tielemans' case, the Belgium captain in particular was signed, sealed and delivered in the blink of an eye, with the pair joining for a combined £85m – as Tottenham Hotspur paid for Mateus Fernandes.
With Casemiro gone and Manuel Ugarte sidelined for appearances, the arrival of a third midfielder has never been ruled out, with Athletic's David Ornstein noting in his latest DealSheet that INEOS remain interested in Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Alongside Manchester and Arsenal, the Red Devils have been in ongoing talks with the player's agents over the past 12 months, and the youngster's status has been further enhanced during the glittering World Cup in Morocco.
Lille have been waiting for the competition to end before making a decision on the 18-year-old's future, believing they could sell him for around €100m (£85m).
Whether he is loaned out to France next campaign remains to be seen, however, this is the kind of talent Carrick and co can build their midfield around Mainoo for the next decade or so.
Like Mainoo two years ago, Bouaddi really came alive on the world stage, looking like such a force in the group stage against Brazil, in particular.
An attractive, flamboyant midfielder, the Lille star has grabbed his chance on the international stage with both hands, having already made nearly 100 appearances at club level.
He is classy and composed, yet has the strength and composure to drive forward from his sixth position, certainly Mainoo-esque in that respect, as evidenced by his average of 1.1 dribbles per game in Ligue 1 last season.
|
Bouaddi vs Mainoo – 25/26 Statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Bouaddi |
Statistics (*per game) |
Mainoo |
|
30 (28) |
Games (beginning) |
28 (16) |
|
0 |
Goals |
1 |
|
1 |
It helps |
2 |
|
3 |
Great opportunities have been created |
1 |
|
0.7 |
Key passes* |
0.8 |
|
85% |
Pass accuracy* |
89% |
|
1.1 |
Success. dribble* |
0.7 |
|
2.9 |
Combat attack* |
2.0 |
|
0.5 |
passed* |
0.4 |
|
9.5 |
Ball lost* |
7.1 |
As a United man again, not the most outstanding name statistically, he registered one assist in 2025/26, while he averaged only 0.7 important passes per game and 2.9 tackles and interceptions.
Mainoo, in comparison, recorded three goals and assists, only 0.8 key passes and only two tackles per game.
However, that does not tell the full story. Watching Bouaddi play, like his midfield counterpart, is pure joy, with an inherent, almost unbearable quality to his game.
Also impressive, the £85m sensation doesn't pass easily despite his youth, he passed 0.5 times per game last term, while Mainoo also passed 0.4 times per game.
The similarities are apparent, and for all the talk about United's need for a top-flight, ball-winning midfielder, recruiting special, ball-playing players like Tielemans and Bouaddi, alongside Mainoo, would be a welcome change of pace.
