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Topics: Manchester United, England, Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire
Ryan Smart
Topics: Manchester United, England, Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire
Kobbie Mainoo has been compared to Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham by one of his Manchester United team-mates.
Mainoo received his maiden call-up to the England squad on Tuesday, being added to the initial 25-man squad that Gareth Southgate named last week.
The 18-year-old has consistently impressed during his breakout season under Erik ten Hag at United, and his star display in the 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool on Sunday appears to have tipped the scales in his favour when it comes to England senior selection.
Southgate has previously indicated that Mainoo would play for the under-21 side until at least after Euro 2024, but his rapid ascent now puts him in firm contention to travel to Germany this summer.
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Now, United defender Harry Maguire has compared the young midfielder to his new international team-mate Bellingham.
He told the media ahead of England's international friendly against Brazil on Saturday: "You've seen the amount of ability and talent he has, and he fully deserves his call-up.
"A role and responsibility for the senior players at Manchester United is to bring through academy players.
"The club is always built on giving opportunities to youngsters. We have numbers of them training with us a lot, we try to make them feel welcome, and we have done to that Kobbie.
"I didn't have any concerns over Kobbie. It's incredible he's only 18, he's so mature. He's a bit like Jude when he was a young boy - he's got a mature head on his shoulders.
"I see day in, day out, his ability in training. I've congratulated him, he thoroughly deserves this. He has been excellent for us this season."
Mainoo's rise does echo that of Bellingham in some respects, with the latter rising through the youth academy at Birmingham before becoming a first team regular in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund at the age of 17.
This season he has scored a remarkable 20 goals in 31 games for Real in all competitions - and will look to carry that form into the upcoming Three Lions friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.