Manchester United is blessed to have one of the best academies in world soccer. With the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Hannibal Mejbri, and other top talents coming from the academy, the club has gotten one more exceptional talent in Kobbie Mainoo.
Mainoo is one of the most promising talents to come out of their academy in recent times, and he just made his first start for the team in yesterday’s 3-0 win against Everton, where he impressed everyone from fans to teammates alike.
Who is Kobbie Mainoo?
Kobbie Mainoo is only 18 years old and was born in Stockport, England, in 2005. He is eligible to play for both England and Ghana but has chosen England so far at youth levels. Since joining the Manchester United academy at the age of 9, he has only grown up through their ranks. His first professional contract with them was signed in May 2022.
He first joined team training in October of last year and was included in a squad for the first time in the same month. Mainoo’s first appearance for the club would be in the EFL Cup in January 2023 against Charlton Athletic. His Premier League debut came in February, when he played as a substitute against Leicester City. Before yesterday’s game, he only played 87 minutes across three games for the club.
Kobbie Mainoo was actually expected to get more game time this season, as he had previously impressed on the pre-season tour in the United States. But injuries affected his season early on, keeping him off the pitch.
Kobbie does have a trophy to his name, which is the Carabao Cup, which United won last season. Mainoo also played for the club previously in their 2022 FA Youth Cup campaign, which they won for the first time in a decade. Last season also saw him get awarded the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year, the award for the best young player of the season.
Teammates, former players heap praise on Mainoo
Debuting against Everton, Kobbie Mainoo had a impressive part to play in the 3-0 win. Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring with one of the best goals ever, and Marcus Rashford doubled it with a penalty, and Anthony Martial sealed the game with a third goal. In the end, Mainoo was the one to receive the Man of the Match award for his impressive and tireless display.
Captain Bruno Fernandes was all praise for the player, saying, “He’s the man of the match. For his age he has so much qualities. He sees things before others.”
Manchester United legend Roy Keane was also impressed by the player but offered some warning to the club. He said that the club needs to make sure the player stays free from any more injuries. “It’s a great start for him. Let’s hope he stays injury free, he gets a run of game for Man United because he looked like a Man United type player today. Nice and brave, lot of courage, loved watching him.”
Manchester United and Kobbie Mainoo will now prepare for their next crucial fixture against Galatasaray in the Champions League this Wednesday.
