Mainoo aiming to build on these achievements in 2025

OFF AND RUNNING
 
Even before January was out, Kobbie had notched his first senior goal for the Reds. Having started in the third-round win at Wigan, the midfielder retained his spot for the FA Cup fourth-round trip to Newport County, where it took him just 13 minutes to put United 2-0 up. His maiden first-team strike was executed in what would soon become trademark Mainoo style: unflustered to the extreme. Diogo Dalot carried possession into the right-hand side of the hosts’ penalty area, pulled the ball back and, without breaking stride, the teenager whipped an unstoppable first-time finish into the far corner of the goal. “It’s a big point in my career,” he told MUTV after the Reds survived a scare to progress by a 4-2 margin. “Obviously, coming in and to score my first goal… I’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time. It’s been amazing.”

MOLINEUX MADNESS 

“I still feel like I’m dreaming,” laughed the youngster when he next faced the post-match cameras, just four days after opening his account at Newport. This time, on the same day he picked up his first official club Player of the Month award for his January exploits, Mainoo was the centre of attention after a mind-blowing start to February. A fine personal display in the Reds’ Premier League trip to Molineux looked set to go to waste when United squandered a 3-1 lead with just five minutes of normal time remaining. The hosts’ late comeback squared the game in the 95th minute, yet somehow Kobbie found the time and composure to keep his calm in the storm, picking up possession from fellow Academy graduate Omari Forson, slaloming towards the Wolves goal and slotting in a sensational far-post winner. Just as gripping was the nonchalance of his celebration as he trotted towards an away section seized by bedlam, as if he hadn’t done anything special. As it turned out, fashioning the routine from the spectacular would become another of Kobbie’s calling cards. “I’m not saying he’s of the same ability and he’s that player yet, but he gives me the vibes of Clarence Seedorf,” poured former Reds defender Rio Ferdinand, unpacking Mainoo’s star turn as a TNT pundit. “The way he can manoeuvre in tight situations, and the way he manipulates the ball, uses his body at times... beautiful.”

ENGLAND BREAKOUT 

Having caught the eye in such breathtaking fashion – his winner at Wolves was named the Premier League’s Goal of the Month for February – it was only a matter of time before Kobbie was given the chance to step into the senior international arena. Already capped from Under-17s through to Under-19s, Mainoo was called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for March’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, appearing in both as a substitute and starter respectively. After handling himself more than capably on both occasions, the young midfielder was increasingly spoken of as a potential member of Southgate’s squad for the 2024 European Championship. “When you are playing for a club like Manchester United you are always under the spotlight,” reflected Southgate. “He has shown that with them and with us in March. We have never been afraid to put young players in, if players are good enough, we are not so concerned about their age. It’s helpful to have more evidence when you are making decisions on players.”

HOME STUNNER 

Were more evidence needed for Southgate and his staff, the manner of Kobbie’s first professional goal at Old Trafford made a compelling case. With Liverpool’s final visit under Jurgen Klopp poised at 1-1 midway through the second half, United’s no.37 stepped up to produce a mammoth contribution. Taking Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass infield with his left foot, Mainoo adroitly spun and curled a show-stopping effort inside the far post at the Stretford End to spark total pandemonium inside Old Trafford. Though the Reds were ultimately forced to settle for a draw, the teenager’s contribution in English football’s showpiece fixture served only to underline his special talent. His spectacular strike won the club’s official Goal of the Month award, and as the Reds battled through a taxing season, his emergence continued to provide one of the happier subplots of the year. “For those of us who work with him, it’s been no surprise to see him scoring and playing really well in games,” said fellow midfielder Casemiro. “I think we have a complete player in Kobbie – aggressive, looks after the ball, a player who wants the ball. I would say that if Kobbie continues the way he’s going with this mentality, continues training hard and doing things right, Manchester United have a great player for the next 15 years.”

STAR OF THE SUMMER 

Shortlisted for both the PFA Young Player of the Year and Premier League Young Player of the Season awards, Kobbie was included in England’s Euro 2024 squad and, after entering two group games as a substitute, established himself as a fixture in Southgate’s starting XI thereafter, starting all four knockout ties. Watching on in his punditry capacity, ex-Reds skipper and midfield powerhouse Roy Keane was moved to remark: “You see the stuff he is doing. I played in that position, but he’s doing stuff that probably took me 10 years to learn. He’s obviously had a great foundation at United and he’s getting into good habits that we’ve seen in these big games – and when you’re playing for Man United, every game is a big game, so he’ll cope with all that.” England’s dramatic semi-final win over the Netherlands pitted Mainoo in opposition with his future Reds team-mate, Josh Zirkzee, who later revealed that the teenage midfielder had been one of the talking points among the Dutch substitutes. “Kobbie had a fantastic game,” said Zirkzee. “He played incredible. [We were] actually talking about it also on the bench, like...this guy is very, very good!” Though England came up just short in the final, losing 2-1 to Spain late on, Kobbie’s contribution had underlined his development – and brimming potential – to all onlookers. As Three Lions forward and close friend Cole Palmer put it: “I think he was the best player at the Euros.”

THE NEXT STEP
 
Despite his exertions on the international scene, following on from starting 23 of 24 United games in the second half of last season, Kobbie was straight back into the United starting XI when the 2024/25 domestic campaign opened in the Community Shield. Since then, he sat out the League Cup victory over Barnsley and the Europa League draw with Porto, but was otherwise omnipresent until sustaining a muscular injury in October’s league stalemate at Villa Park. His return against Everton at the start of this month resumed his rise, which is to continue under the guidance of Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese has endeavoured to discuss his players as a collective, rather than individually, but did smilingly label Mainoo “a very good player”. With tantalising times ahead for United under new leadership, it seems certain that the Amorim era will merely be the next compelling chapter in Kobbie Mainoo’s thrilling story.

This feature was first published in our United Review matchday programme for the final game of 2024, at home to Newcastle.