Kobbie Mainoo is slowly but surely becoming a regular name at Old Trafford. The 18-year-old boy Wonder scored an amazing goal in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool last week. Kobbie seems to have just burst onto the big stage and he has been impressive so far. His contribution to the team has been immense with some of them coming at crucial moments.
He is a midfielder who is able to play effectively in central, defensive, and attacking midfield. Kobbie’s versatility has impressed and has gotten positive comments from pundits and former players. “He is more than a holding midfielder,” said Wayne Rooney. “I watched him play against Nottingham Forest as well as he played a little higher so he can certainly do that.”
He has been excellent so far but where has he been all this while and what do we know about him?
Kobbie Mainoo was born on April 19, 2005, to Ghanaian parents in Stockport, Greater Manchester. He joined Manchester United at the age of nine after he graduated from Cheadle and Gatley junior football club.
He graduated from the Manchester United academy and won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year Award in 2023. Mainoo signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in 2022. After a good midfield showing in the EFL cup against Carlisle United, he was called up to training with the first-team squad in October 2022.
He made his senior debut in an EFL home win over Charlton Athletic in January 2023 and made his Premier League debut when he was subbed on in a 3-0 home win against Leicester City in February 2023.
Mainoo then traveled with the Manchester United first team on their pre-season tour where he picked up an injury that kept him out for some time. He returned from injury to his first league start for Manchester United in a Premier League game against Everton in November 2023. Man United won the match 3 nil and Mainoo was named Man of the Match.
On February 1, 2024, he scored his first Premier League goal; the winning goal in a 4-3 thriller against Wolves. The goal would later be awarded Premier League Goal of the Month for February. Just last week, he scored a stunner in the Premier League match against Liverpool.
Mainoo’s vision and technical quality on the ball have been eye-catching this season. On top of that, he has proven himself to be a threat in the opposition box.
Mainoo earned his first senior call-up for England in March for friendlies against Brazil and Belgium. He made his debut at age 18 for England on March 23, 2024, in the match against Brazil where he came on as a sub for Conor Gallagher in the 75th minute. He started the second friendly against Belgium at Wembley three days later and was awarded Man of the Match on his first start for the English senior team; phenomenal.
Manchester United may have a star on their hands. I guess only time will tell whether he can live up to expectations and fulfill his potential.