Kobbie Mainoo's England teammates demonstrated how highly they rate the youngster with a heartwarming tribute following his international debut at Wembley.
Last week, it was confirmed that Mainoo would be receiving a call-up to the senior side, a decision made directly after Mainoo's impressive performance at Old Trafford against Liverpool in the FA Cup.
The United midfielder revealed how he got the news of his call-up: "I got called up to the U21s and then got a text from Steve Holland. He told me to meet him in the reception and just told me I've been called up and I'm gonna be with the squad for the week. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, but I'm excited," Mainoo said, speaking last week.
On Sunday, England celebrated the debut of Mainoo alongside Anthony Gordon, and Ezri Konsa, as they received their first caps from Gareth Southgate in a team meeting following the loss to Brazil.
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Aston Villa's Konsa entered the match as a substitute, taking over from Kyle Walker after 20 minutes. During the cap presentation, Southgate humorously quipped, "Ez, 20 minutes in, came on and marked Vinicius (Junior), not a bad start!"
However, it was Mainoo who received the most enthusiastic applause from teammates and staff. The 18-year-old, who began the week with the Under-21s, concluded it with an impressive performance, leaving a memorable impression despite limited game time.
Mainoo was the last of the debutants to receive his cap, letting him soak in the love from his new teammates.
The 18-year-old ended his cameo with 100% passing accuracy and displayed great composure in midfield alongside Declan Rice, who praised Mainoo after the match by saying there was "many more to come".
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The England boss was also impressed with the teenager's first minutes on the international stage.
“Kobbie was a chance to dip his toes,” he said. “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 of what he might become," Southgate added.
Featured Image Credit: EnglandTopics: England, Football, Manchester United, Gareth Southgate, FA Cup, Kobbie Mainoo
