Thomas Tuchel admits leaving Kobbie Mainoo out of the World Cup “hurt” him.

ByTech Word News

England manager Thomas Tuchel admitted he was “hurt” that Kobbie Mainoo was not given a minute at the 2026 World Cup. The Manchester United midfielder has been recalled for the upcoming Nations League matches, with Tuchel saying it is now his duty to give the 21-year-old a chance.

Mainoo was part of England’s World Cup squad but remained an unused substitute throughout the tournament. When Tuchel named his latest squad on Friday, he explained why he preferred Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson in midfield and why Mainoo would have played in the third-place tie against France had he not been injured.

“He didn’t make a mistake in the World Cup. He was first-class in behavior and training, but it was a big competition,” Tuchel said.

“Elliot Anderson is a fantastic player for us; Declan Rice is a very unique player so we trusted them more than Kobbie.”

Mainoo was unable to get on the field during England’s World Cup campaign despite impressing the coaching staff in training. Tuchel said the injury ahead of the third-place match against France denied the midfielder his last chance to play.

“It was difficult for him. He was injured before the France game, so we couldn’t give him minutes there, which hurt me,” said Tuchel.

“It may have hurt him more than me, but it is my duty to reward him for it.

MAINOO GETS ANOTHER CHANCE

Mainoo has retained his place in the England squad after starting the new season strongly for Manchester United. Tuchel was unequivocal when asked if the midfielder would finally get minutes during the upcoming international window.

“Yes, I expect him to be on the field and it’s my duty to put him on the field,” he said.

England have four Nations League games during this window, giving Tuchel plenty of opportunities to assess his options in midfield. The Three Lions start against reigning world champions Spain at Wembley on September 26.

ALEXANDER-ARNOLD, PALMER RETURN

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer have also returned to the England squad after missing the World Cup. Tuchel called on both players to prove they deserve to keep their places.

“Now it’s time to fight for his place. He’s always said he’s ready to fight for his place, especially for England, so it’s up to him to do that and he’s more than welcome in the camp,” Tuchel said of Alexander-Arnold.

Palmer started the season strongly for Chelsea, with Tuchel highlighting his improved goals, assists and overall performance as reasons for the recall.

“Trent’s quality is indisputable, we don’t have to talk about Cole Palmer’s quality, they have to show it,” said Tuchel.

England will host Spain at Wembley on September 26 and face the Czech Republic on September 29 and Croatia on October 3. They will then host the Czech Republic at Wembley on October 6 to complete a four-game Nations League window.

LEAGUE OF ENGLISH NATIONS FILE:

  • Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton), James Trafford (Leeds United)
  • Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Trevoh Chalobah (Como), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quankusen (Bayer).
  • Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Bournemouth).
  • Forward: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

19 Sep 2026 08:43 IST