In his first interview with the press, Kobbie Mainoo opens up on his stratospheric rise with Man United and England ahead of the FA Cup final.
On the stroll from the academy building, past the fountain of youth and to the main hub at Carrington, the Manchester United press officer is advising Kobbie Mainoo . "I'll be fine," he says.
Graduates are stencilled onto the walls of the academy building, where Mainoo, sporting a vintage 1990 FA Cup final United jacket, posed for the club photographer. It is a matter of time until Mainoo is recognised. He did not appear nervous. Mainoo was the man of the match in that 3-0 victory, his first senior appearance in four months. Even for a United-bred prodigy, the rise has been stratospheric.
Mainoo started United's first four games in pre-season but they had a problem in Houston. A freakish ankle injury 74 seconds into the friendly defeat to Real Madrid in July sidelined Mainoo until October. He had to bide time with appearances in the EFL Trophy and Uefa Youth League. "I didn’t know about Everton but leading up to the game after the international break was when I found out I was playing - a couple of days before . I felt ready for it by then."
How did he find out? A phone call? "Nah, I just got a text to say I was in the provisional squad and then saw the team come out so yeah, happy. I was buzzing. "And he said he wasn't gonna tell me. So he was like, 'I'm not telling you, I'm not telling you.' So I'm like, 'Okay.' I saw him jump up on the advertising board when he scored and me and Rasmus just jumped up there with him. He wanted it for himself! But yeah, we jumped in there and it was a nice picture."
"Liverpool: when the ball came to me, I wanted the touch to go there so I could have a lot of options what to do but when it fell the way it did, the shot was on, so I took it. Mainoo's breakthrough came in December of 2022 during United's winter training camp in Cadiz. A callow squad lost both friendlies against Cadiz and Real Betis but Mainoo scored in the former and was a success story from the week. A month later, he was the 246th academy graduate to debut for the first team.
Mainoo was 11 when United last lifted the cup. He was at home, watching on with his father at home in Stockport when Jesse Lingard volleyed in the winner against Crystal Palace in 2016. Mainoo's parents took turns to drive him the 14 miles to Carrington, with Kobbie listening to 50 Cent in the passenger's seat.
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