Kobbie Mainoo made his England debut on Friday night in a friendly match against Brazil.
The 18-year-old came on as a second-half substitute at Wembley and wasted no time showcasing his skills.
Kobbie moving like silk 😮💨
byu/What4thamendment inreddevils
Footage courtesy of beIN SPORTS
Gareth Southgate started the game with Conor Gallagher in midfield, with Jordan Henderson unavailable through injury. This meant Mainoo had a place on the bench against Brazil.
Mainoo, making his first senior appearance for England, made an immediate impression. In the clip below you can see him receive the ball with his back to the goal before skilfully making his way past Joao Gomes.
This won’t surprise United fans because we already know what Mainoo is about. He can pass the ball, cover lots of ground, tackle opponents and finish in front of goal.
However, it was a Brazilian youngster who stole the headlines on Saturday night as Endrick netted he only goal of the game, making history as the youngest player to score an international goal at Wembley.
Southgate impressed with Mainoo debut
Speaking to reporters after losing 1-0 to Brazil, Gareth Southgate was full of praise for the United teenager (via Daily Mail): “Kobbie has a chance to dip his toes.
“We needed to refresh some of the team because we’ve got to manage their minutes a little bit, so that’s a strange situation when it’s a game of that size but that’s where we are.
“To get Kobbie on the pitch was a brilliant moment for him and his family. You saw a couple of turns and a couple of really composed moments that is a bit of an indication fo what he might become.”
Side note: Mainoo is the 14th player to make his England debut aged 18 or under.
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