25 March 2024 , 22:30
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Kobbie Mainoo could be set for a dream full England debut at Wembley.
England boss Gareth Southgate insists the 18-year-old Manchester United midfielder has proved he is ready to start against Belgium - and could even gatecrash the Euros squad this summer. Mainoo made his senior debut against Brazil as a late substitute on Saturday and Southgate says he will have no fears about putting in the teenager because of England’s mounting injury crisis.
Southgate said: “Kobbie has a chance for tomorrow. He seems very calm. Definitely you can see he is taking everything in. Talking to him tactically, he seems able to take all those concepts on.
“There are a lot of steps being taken in a very short period of time but you saw in the brief cameo the other day some of the qualities he has.
“I think also sometimes, with the really young ones, they are not even thinking about that. It is all flowing and maybe then as you get a bit older you start to think about it a bit more.
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“When you get even older you cannot care less about it and you go again. It is a beautiful, innocent moment when he is just in the flow. And lapping up the opportunities as they come.”
Mainoo is quickly playing his way into England’s Euros plans and if he passes the audition at Wembley then he could be set to be on the plane this summer. But Southgate was reluctant to put Mainoo in the same bracket as teenage prodigies Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
Gareth Southgate reserved plenty of praise for Kobbie Mainoo after his England debutSouthgate, who is set to start with Ivan Toney up front, said: “Those two were world stars at 17/18. Rooney before his first major championship was already in that stratosphere. Michael was propelled into that during the World Cup.
“I played with both of those when they arrived. Wayne was one of the best we have had. Kobbie is still developing. But I am mindful that we have to look after him and make sure his development is at the right speed but the opportunities are there as well.”
Declan Rice added: “The sky is the limit for him, he’s an amazing player and I am looking forward to hopefully playing many games for England with him.”
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