As is everyone else who has tuned into Manchester United or England’s recent fixtures, Jude Bellingham is a fan of Kobbie Mainoo.
The pair lined up together for the first time this evening for the Three Lions’ friendly with Belgium, with the United starlet making his senior international debut just three days after earning his maiden cap – a testament to just how highly he’s rated now.
Remarkably, Mainoo’s promotion to the national team, which saw him bypass the under-21s, came after just 20 appearances with United this season. His press-resistant, composed style of play is just so easy on the eye, and despite his young age of just 18, he brings a sense of calmness to the pitch. You don’t worry when he’s on the ball, as it just seems to be glued to his feet.
Bellingham is another young prospect who saw his career trajectory go from zero to 100 in such a short space of time. Like with Mainoo, the signs were evident early on that he had what it took to dominate a midfield; their decision-making, physicality, technicality and maturity rank them well beyond their years.
Bellingham has high expectations of Mainoo
The Real Madrid talisman gave a glowing review of the teenager following England’s tightly-contested 2-2 draw, telling Channel 4: “He was good tonight, he was good. It’s difficult – I’m speaking like the old head here – but I know how hard it can be when there’s a clamour and people put a lot of pressure on you.
“I don’t want to add fuel to the fire, but he’s definitely a brilliant player, and he’s going to have an amazing future at Man United and hopefully for England as well.”
