Man United star Kobbie Mainoo has been handed his first-ever senior England call-up ahead of the Three Lions’ upcoming friendly matches.
Gareth Southgate’s men will meet up for the last time ahead of Euro 2024 to play Brazil and Belgium, with these games being a great chance for some players to impress the England manager.
One player English fans have been screaming for Southgate to include in his squad is Man United’s Kobbie Mainoo and the midfielder now has the opportunity to prove himself after being called up for the latest round of fixtures.
The 18-year-old has previously represented England at U17 through to U19 level – but is yet to be capped at U20 or U21 level. Mainoo has now skipped those levels and will be targeting a place on the plane to the Euros this summer in Germany.
Kobbie Mainoo receives first England call-up
Mainoo has been given this opportunity due to his impressive displays for Man United over the last few months. The youngster has made 20 appearances for the Manchester club this season and once again impressed during their dramatic 4-3 win over Liverpool in their FA Cup quarter-final clash on Sunday.
This is a huge step in England securing Mainoo as their player for the future as the Daily Mail has reported that the 18-year-old was planning to keep his international options open amid interest from Ghana – the birthplace of his parents.
Under FIFA eligibility rules, a player can change their nationality at any time if they have only played in friendlies, while those aged under 21 can also switch after three years if they have played fewer than three competitive matches.
Should Mainoo go to the Euros, England may use that to secure the Man United player’s future, but the midfielder will have to earn that honour over the coming weeks.