Kobbie Mainoo has not featured for a single minute at FIFA World Cup 2026, making the Manchester United midfielder the only member of England's midfield contingent yet to set foot on the pitch this tournament.

The 21-year-old found his form again in the Premier League after Michael Carrick took charge at Manchester United — first as interim head coach and subsequently on a permanent basis. That revival earned Mainoo a recall to the England setup despite a difficult spell under Ruben Amorim, and he arrives in North America with 14 senior caps to his name.

Tuchel's choices in the middle

England boss Thomas Tuchel has leaned heavily on Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson as his first-choice midfield pairing. Rice's illness added further complexity when the Arsenal man was forced off at half-time during England's quarter-final victory over Norway, with clubmate Eberechi Eze stepping in as his replacement.

When Anthony Gordon departed the pitch in the 71st minute of that same match, Reece James entered and slotted into midfield — not Mainoo — as Eze shifted out wide. Jude Bellingham has also featured centrally, while Jordan Henderson, at 36, came off the bench to play a handful of minutes against Panama in the final group game. Mainoo, meanwhile, has watched on.

The decision to risk Rice against Norway, rather than turn to Mainoo, underlined how far down the pecking order the Manchester United man currently sits in Tuchel's thinking.

Scholes speaks out

Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes voiced his concerns on the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football, suggesting the situation risks becoming damaging for Mainoo personally.