Thomas Tuchel Apologises For Not Playing Kobbie Mainoo In The World Cup, That's On Me..."

Kobbie Mainoo is a JOKE of a midfielder 😮‍💨

Kobbie Mainoo's 2026 at Manchester United, particularly once Michael Carrick took charge of the squad, has been spectacular at club level.

The young midfield star has been a brilliant addition to United's squad since the turn of the year, playing some awesome football that earned him a call-up to England's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

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It was then a surprise to see the Three Lions boss, Thomas Tuchel, not play him in any of England's eight fixtures across the competition, with the midfielder missing out on playing France in the third-placed playoff due to injury.

Mainoo has somewhat hit the ground running since returning to United this season, playing well despite inconsistent performances from those around him and results on the pitch under Carrick.

Tuchel addresses lack of Mainoo playing time

Mainoo has once again been called up for England for the upcoming international fixtures, and the German was asked whether fans should expect to see Mainoo playing this time around.

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"Yes, I expect him to be on the pitch, and it's my duty to put him on the pitch," Tuchel replied.

The England manager went on to address the fact that Mainoo didn't play during the world cup, taking responsiblity for the 21-year-old's lack of minutes and somewhat apologising, while also explaining that the amount of competition Mainoo faced in the midfield department also played a factor.

"That was totally on me," he continued. "He didn't put a foot wrong in the World Cup. He was class in behaviour and on the training pitch.

"It was a big competition. We played then also Reece [James] in centre midfield. Elliot Anderson is fantastic for us. Declan Rice is a very unique player. So we trusted them more than we trusted Kobbie. It was difficult for him.

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"It was on me. He got injured before the France game, so we could not even give him minutes there, which hurt me.

"Maybe he was more hurt than me, but it was my responsibility, and it's my responsibility to reward him for that."

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Mainoo always manages to shine through

One thing that must always be mentioned about Mainoo is that, in almost every occasion, the bright talent always manages to shine through, even during dark periods.

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Under Rúben Amorim, Mainoo barely played, but stuck to his guns and kept his head down, which has now resulted in the United Academy graduate becoming one of Carrick's most important players.

When he was initially selected for the 2024 European Championships, he wasn't in the starting XI for the group games under Gareth Southgate, but his talent saw him start the knockout stages, all the way until the final.

This time around, under Tuchel, the story will likely be no different. Mainoo was not given his fair shot at the World Cup, but will continue to be selected for England. If history is anything to go by, he will end up forcing his way into Tuchel's plans.

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