Manchester United forward has had a resurgence in 2026
Kobbie Mainoo is now firmly in contention for a place in the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, according to manager Thomas Tuchel.
Mainoo has made 10 appearances for England, including starting the final of the 2024 European Championship against Spain, but his lack of game time at club level has limited his development and reduced his chances of playing for the national side.
Mainoo did not start a single league game for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim, but has now started five in a row and impressed under interim coach Michael Carrick.
“It is great that he is back on the pitch,” Tuchel said. “He is such a huge talent. He has played already a tournament from start to finish for England, so he is back in the picture. So is Luke Shaw, and so is Harry (Maguire).
“There are some players suddenly back in the picture, they play a back four now and play with a different style, which is a bit easier to translate to our structure at the moment. It’s good competition.”
Tuchel was initially linked to the permanent United job in the summer, but those links have now been brought to an end after the German signed a two-year contract extension with England that would see him lead them to the European Championships in 2028.
Manchester United Will Not Appoint Tuchel as Head Coach After German Signs England Contract Extension
Thomas Tuchel will not be heading to Manchester United following the World Cup, after signing a longer contract to coach England for two more years.
The former Chelsea manager had been linked to the United job, with Gary Neville and Roy Keane among the pundits with the loudest calls for the club to appoint an experienced manager at the highest level of coaching experience.
