Wayne Rooney says he has “a feeling” about Kobbie Mainoo and the Euro 2024 final as England prepare to face Spain.
Mainoo has been nothing short of a revelation this summer. He was used sparingly during England‘s opener against Serbia, coming on as 86th-minute substitute for Jude Bellingham.
He then missed the 1-1 draw with Denmark but after Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled to make an impact in the so-called ‘midfield experiment’, Mainoo was handed starts against Slovenia, Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
The 19-year-old midfielder, who is coming off the back of an impressive breakthrough campaign at Manchester United, is likely to partner Declan Rice again in Sunday’s final.
And a confident Wayne Rooney believes Mainoo will score in Sunday’s final.
“I just have a feeling about Mainoo and the final,” he said in his column for The Times. “That he is going to score and prove decisive. If you think of him in the tournament, he has got into good positions going forward and I think Spain will do their homework and close off space for Harry Kane, Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham.
“But that will leave space for a midfielder arriving late, and that Mainoo will get one from a cut-back.”
Rooney, who recently compared the Stockport-born teenager’s playing style to former teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger, went on to suggest that Mainoo will become one of the best players in the world.
“His maturity is so impressive,” said the Plymouth manager. “The other youngsters — Williams, Yamal, Bellingham, Foden — all play in attacking positions whereas Mainoo, at 19, is excelling in one that requires enormous discipline and game understanding.”
Rooney added: “Williams will also, very soon, surely be regarded as one of the world’s best. We need players to replace Lionel Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] at the top of the tree and Williams, Mainoo, Foden, Bellingham, Yamal — alongside Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland — are the ones you hope and expect to go and do that.”
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Ahead of Sunday’s final in Berlin, Gareth Southgate hailed the influence of Mainoo on his team.
“I think all of his performances have been exceptional, especially when you consider his age. We haven’t really had a player like him until now,” he said after their semi-final win over the Netherlands.
“It makes such a difference when your midfield players can receive [the ball] pressed and turn with the ball so easily and comfortably. It looks simple when he does it, but it isn’t simple.
“But I thought him and Phil popping up in spaces, Jude [Bellingham]… our movement was really good. That caused a lot of problems and forced them to adapt how they were without the ball.”