Kobbie Mainoo didn't hesitate when asked to name the easiest position to play in football

Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has weighed in on a debate that has divided opinion amongst fans for years - what is the easiest position to play in football?

Mainoo, who has been one of United's standout performers in the opening weeks of the season, was speaking to content creator Kaljit Atwal at a recent Nike Football event when he was met with the age-old question.

Asked what he thought was the easiest position to play on the pitch, the 21-year-old immediately hit back with "full-back", a reply Atwal said he answered "real quick".

READ MORE: Why Thomas Tuchel refused to play Kobbie Mainoo for England at the World Cup

Kobbie Mainoo's England teammates agree that full-back is the easiest position to play

Mainoo, who admitted he had thought about the debate before, isn't the only footballer to suggest full-back is the least difficult position to play.

Earlier this year, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jordan Henderson also came back with the same answer after Atwal asked the divisive question ahead of England's World Cup campaign.

And back in 2024, when a group of Chelsea players were asked which position they thought was the easiest to play in football, now-Everton midfielder Kieran Dewbury-Hall suggested full-back.

Cole Palmer, meanwhile, claimed defensive midfielder was the most straightforward, but Christopher Nkunku disagreed and claimed centre-back was the least demanding.

Kylian Mbappe gives his take on the easiest position to play in football, Samuel Umtiti disagrees

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe recently explained why centre-back is the easiest position to play.

"You're covered from all sides, you can even play in a back three," he said. "It's the only position where you see 40-year-old players still playing in Europe, at top clubs. A 40-year-old striker is finished."

However, former Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti disagreed with Mbappe's statement as he spoke to RMC.

"I don't understand why he said that," said Umtiti. "Kylian knows this very well. I think I'll have a word with him about it. That's what strikers often say. In defence, it's completely different. You make one mistake and you pay for it immediately, so it's not necessarily the easier position."

"It's true that playing with three defenders gives you greater security, but you're still a defender at the end of the day," added Umtiti. "If you lose a one-on-one duel, you know the striker could run straight at goal and the match is over."