Kobbie Mainoo
English footballer (born 2005) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kobbie Boateng Mainoo (/ˈkɔːbɪ ˈmeɪnuː/;[3] born 19 April 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best young players in the world.[4][5][6]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kobbie Boateng Mainoo | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 19 April 2005 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Stockport, Greater Manchester, England | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Manchester United | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 37 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Cheadle & Gatley | |||||||||||||||||
| Failsworth Dynamos | |||||||||||||||||
| –2022 | Manchester United | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Manchester United | 45 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | England U17 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | England U18 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | England U19 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | England | 10 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:05, 21 April 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:05, 7 September 2024 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Mainoo is a graduate of Manchester United's youth system and won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2023. He made his first-team debut in an EFL Cup match in January 2023. Mainoo played for England from under-17 youth level, before making his debut for the senior team in March 2024.
Early life
Kobbie Boateng Mainoo[7] was born on 19 April 2005[1] in Stockport, Greater Manchester,[8] to parents from Ghana.[9] His older brother is Jordan Mainoo-Hames, who appeared as a contestant on the fifth series of Love Island.[10] He was raised in Cheadle Hulme, a suburb of Stockport,[11] and started his youth career at Cheadle & Gatley Junior Football Club.[12] He then joined Failsworth Dynamos, where he played as a forward.[13] He was scouted for Manchester United at the age of six,[14] signed up at the age of seven,[15] and joined the academy at the age of nine.[12]
Club career
Summarize
Perspective
Manchester United
2022–2023
Mainoo signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in May 2022.[16] His performances earned him a call-up to the first-team squad for training in October.[17]
Mainoo was named on the bench for the first time on 16 October 2022, for a Premier League match against Newcastle United,[18] followed by making his senior debut on 10 January 2023, starting in a 3–0 home win over Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup.[19] He made his league debut on 19 February by coming on as a substitute in a 3–0 home win against Leicester City in the Premier League.[20]
2023–2024
Mainoo travelled with the Manchester United squad on their 2023–24 pre-season tour in the United States.[21] However, he picked up an injury which kept him out for the start of the upcoming season.[22] Returning from injury, Mainoo made his first league start for Manchester United on 26 November 2023, in a 3–0 Premier League victory away to Everton, in which he was named man of the match.[23] On 29 November, he made his UEFA Champions League debut, coming off the bench in a group stage 3–3 away draw against Galatasaray.[24]
On 28 January 2024, Mainoo scored his first goal for Manchester United in a 4–2 win away to Newport County in the FA Cup fourth round.[25] A few days later, on 1 February, he scored his first Premier League goal, a stoppage time winner in a 4–3 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.[26] The goal was later awarded Premier League Goal of the Month for February 2024.[27] On 7 April, he netted his first professional goal at Old Trafford in a 2–2 draw with rivals Liverpool in the Premier League.[28]
In the FA Cup final, Mainoo scored the eventual winning goal in a 2–1 victory over local rivals Manchester City and was awarded Man of the Match.[29] He became the first English teenager to score in a final since Steve MacKenzie in 1981 and the youngest since John Sissons in 1964.[30] His performances for the season were widely praised, with him being nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Season award.[31]
2024–2025
On 17 October 2024, Manchester United confirmed that Mainoo would be out for a few weeks following a muscle injury he picked up during a 0–0 away to Aston Villa on 6 October.[32] He made his return on 1 December 2024, starting in a 4–0 win against Everton in new head coach Ruben Amorim's first Premier League match at Old Trafford.[33]
On 30 January 2025, Mainoo scored his first goal of the season and his first in Europe in a 2–0 away win over FCSB. He also got an assist and was named man of the match.[34]
On 17 April 2025, following a return from injury, Mainoo scored a last-minute extra-time equaliser in the second-leg of a Europa League tie against Olympique Lyon. United scored only a minute later to win 5-4, as they became the first team to score two goals in the 120th minute of a European match.[35]
International career
Summarize
Perspective
Mainoo has represented England at under-17, under-18, and under-19 youth levels, and at the senior level.[36]
In March 2024, Mainoo was called up to the senior squad for the first time for England's friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, after previously being drafted for the under-21s.[37] Aged 18, he made his debut on 23 March as a substitute for Conor Gallagher in a 1–0 defeat to Brazil at Wembley Stadium.[38] He made his first England start in a 2–2 draw against Belgium, in which he was named man of the match.[39]
On 6 June, Mainoo was named in England's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024.[40] He made his competitive debut in the team's opening match, playing the last four minutes as a substitute for Jude Bellingham in a 1–0 win over Serbia.[41] On 25 June, he played the second half against Slovenia in a 0–0 draw in the team's final group stage match, replacing Conor Gallagher at half time.[42] In the round of 16 match against Slovakia, he became the third-youngest player to start for England at a knockout stage of a major tournament in a 2–1 win.[43] On 10 July, in a 2–1 win in the semi-finals against Netherlands, he became the youngest England player to play a semi-final of a major tournament.[44] Four days later, he started in the final, which ended in a 2–1 defeat to Spain.[45]
Style of play
Mainoo is primarily a central midfielder who is also capable of playing as a defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder.[2] An intelligent and composed player, he excels in driving the ball forward, using his dribbling skills to navigate through tight spaces and evade defenders.[46][47][48] Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has compared his style of play to that of Clarence Seedorf.[49] Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag praised his ability to "quickly adapt to high levels", as well as his willingness to progress and develop as a player.[50][51] Pundit and former United midfielder Paul Scholes praised him, saying that "Just love the way he receives the ball, the calmness, the awareness of what's around him, and of course big goals in big games."[29]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 20 April 2025
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United U21 | 2022–23[52] | — | — | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 2023–24[53] | — | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Manchester United | 2022–23[52] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023–24[53] | Premier League | 24 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 32 | 5 | ||
| 2024–25[54] | Premier League | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[c] | 2 | 1[d] | 0 | 29 | 2 | |
| Total | 45 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 45 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 68 | 7 | ||
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in FA Community Shield
International
- As of match played 7 September 2024[36]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2024 | 10 | 0 |
| Total | 10 | 0 | |
Honours
Manchester United U18
Manchester United
England
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2024[45]
Individual
References
External links
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