Kobbie Mainoo

Kobbie Mainoo

Personal information
Full name	Kobbie Boateng Mainoo
Date of birth	(2005-04-19) 19 April 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth	Stockport, 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
0000–2022	Manchester United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–	Manchester United	19	(2)
International career‡
2021–2022	England U17	5	(1)
2022–	England U18	2	(0)
2023–	England U19	6	(0)
2024–	England	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:07, 13 April 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:45, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

Kobbie Boateng Mainoo (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.

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 at under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels, before making his debut for the senior team in March 2024.

Early life

Kobbie Boateng Mainoo ^[3] was born on 19 April 2005 ^[1] in Stockport, Greater Manchester, ^[4] to parents from Ghana. ^[5] He was raised in Cheadle Hulme, a suburb of Stockport, ^[6] and started his youth career at Cheadle & Gatley Junior Football Club, before joining Manchester United at the age of nine. ^[7]

Club career

Manchester United

2022–23 season

Mainoo signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in May 2022. ^[8] His performances, including a good midfield display against Carlisle United in the EFL Trophy, earned him a call-up to the first-team squad for training in October 2022.^{[ citation needed ]} He was named on the bench for the first time on 16 October, for a Premier League match against Newcastle United. ^[9] Mainoo made his senior debut on 10 January 2023, starting in a 3–0 home win over Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup, ^[10] and 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. ^[11]

2023–24 season

Mainoo travelled with the Manchester United squad on their 2023–24 pre-season tour in the United States. ^[12] However, he picked up an injury which kept him out-of-play for the start of the upcoming season. ^[13] 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 received the man of the match award. ^{[14] [15]} On 29 November, he made his UEFA Champions League debut, coming off the bench in the 58th minute of a 3–3 away draw against Galatasaray in the group stage. ^[16]

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. ^[17] A few days later, on 1 February, he scored his first Premier League goal in a 4–3 away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the winning goal coming in the seventh minute of stoppage time. ^[18] The goal was later awarded Premier League Goal of the Month for February 2024. ^[19]

On 7 April, Mainoo netted his first professional goal at Old Trafford, scoring at the Stretford End in a 2–2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League. ^[20]

International career

Mainoo represented England at under-17, under-18, under-19 youth levels. ^[21] 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. ^[22] He made his debut aged 18 on 23 March 2024 as a 75th-minute substitute for Conor Gallagher in a 1–0 defeat to Brazil at Wembley Stadium. ^[23] Mainoo made his first ever England start against Belgium once again at Wembley three days later, in which he picked up a good reception following the game where he came off after 75 minutes for James Maddison, and was eventually awarded man of the match on his first start. ^[24]

Style of play

Mainoo is primarily a central midfielder who is also capable of playing as a defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder. ^[2] Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has compared his style of play to that of Clarence Seedorf. ^[25] Manager Erik ten Hag has praised his ability to "quickly adapt to high levels", as well as his willingness to progress and develop as a player. ^{[26] [27]}

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 13 April 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Manchester United U21	2022–23 [28]	—	—		—		—		3 [lower-alpha 1]	0	3	0
	2023–24 [29]	—	—		—		—		1 [lower-alpha 1]	0	1	0
	Total		—		—		—		4	0	4	0
Manchester United	2022–23 [28]	Premier League	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	3	0
	2023–24 [29]	Premier League	18	2	4	1	0	0	2 [lower-alpha 2]	0	24	3
	Total		19	2	5	1	1	0	2	0	27	3
Career total			19	2	5	1	1	0	6	0	31	3

1. Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy
2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 26 March 2024 ^[21]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
England	2024	2	0
Total		2	0

Honours

Manchester United U18

• FA Youth Cup: 2021–22 ^[30]

Individual

• Premier League Goal of the Month: February 2024 ^[19]
• Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year: 2022–23 ^[31]

References

1. "Kobbie Mainoo: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
2. "Local hero: Kobbie Mainoo bringing cheer at troubled Manchester United". The Guardian. London. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
3. "2022/23 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
4. "K. Mainoo: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
5. Blanche, Phil (19 March 2024). "Stockport star shining for Man Utd – England's latest call-up Kobbie Mainoo". The Independent. London. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
6. Whitwell, Laurie (1 March 2024). "The making of Kobbie Mainoo: 'United and City were chasing him when he was six'". The Athletic. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
7. "Manchester United might be about to unleash their own future midfield star vs Cadiz". Manchester Evening News. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
8. Fay, Richard (17 May 2022). "Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo signs first professional deal". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
9. Railston, Steven (16 October 2022). "Who is Kobbie Mainoo? Meet the Manchester United youngster named on the bench vs Newcastle". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
10. Stone, Simon (10 January 2023). "Manchester United 3–0 Charlton Athletic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
11. Kerr, Joshua (19 February 2023). "Manchester United 3 Leicester City 0". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
12. Luckhurst, Samuel (19 July 2023). "Manchester United confirm pre-season tour squad". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
13. Mamaniyat, Abdullah (18 August 2023). "Erik Ten Hag provides Kobbie Mainoo injury timescale". Red Devil Armada. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
14. "Kobbie Mainoo: Man Utd youngster's full Premier League debut against Everton praised by Gary Neville and Roy Keane". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
15. Nelson, Joe (26 November 2023). "Who was United's Man of the Match against Everton?". Manchester United F.C.
16. "Galatasaray 3–3 Man Utd". The Guardian. London. 29 November 2023.
17. "Newport County 2–4 Man Utd". BBC Sport. 28 January 2024.
18. "Wolverhampton Wanderers 3–4 Manchester United". BBC Sport. 1 February 2024.
19. "Mainoo's late stunner wins Budweiser Goal of the Month award". Premier League. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
20. "Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool: Mohamed Salah scores late penalty to snatch point for Reds". BBC Sport. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
21. "Kobbie Mainoo: Internationals". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
22. "Kobbie Mainoo: Man Utd midfielder handed first England call-up after being drafted in from Under-21s". Sky Sports. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
23. McNulty, Phil (23 March 2024). "England 0–1 Brazil". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
24. McNulty, Phil (26 March 2024). "England 2–2 Belgium". BBC Sport.
25. "Wolves 3–4 Man Utd: Kobbie Mainoo continues rise to stardom with 'dream' winning goal". BBC Sport. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
26. Peach, Simon (30 March 2024). "Erik ten Hag expects Kobbie Mainoo to handle the hype after star England debut". The Independent.
27. Hemingway, Rob (2 February 2024). "ERIK TEN HAG EXCLUSIVE: MANCHESTER UNITED BOSS OPENS UP ON KOBBIE MAINOO AND ALEJANDRO GARNACHO 'INCREDIBLE PROGRESS'". Eurosport.
28. "Games played by Kobbie Mainoo in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
29. "Games played by Kobbie Mainoo in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
30. "Man Utd 3–1 Nottingham Forest: Home side clinch FA Youth Cup in front of record crowd at Old Trafford". Sky Sports. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
31. Ganley, Joe (25 May 2023). "Kobbie Mainoo named Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year 2022 23". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 25 May 2023.

External links

• Profile at the Manchester United F.C. website
• Profile at the Football Association website
• Kobbie Mainoo – UEFA competition record ( archive )