England’s Kobbie Mainoo yet to feature at World Cup as Tuchel favours tactical flexibility

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has not played a single minute for England at the 2026 World Cup. As Thomas Tuchel’s side prepares to face Argentina in Wednesday’s semi-final, the young player remains entirely unused.

Mainoo is one of only three outfield players yet to feature in the tournament, alongside Ivan Toney and Trevoh Chalobah. Unlike those peers, whose backup roles were clearly defined from the outset, the midfielder’s exclusion carries a palpable sense of disillusionment.

Observers note that Mainoo has consistently been the first player to leave the dressing room and board the team bus after each of England’s six matches. While not overtly sulking, he has frequently been seen walking alone, appearing somewhat adrift in a high-stakes environment.

The omission is particularly striking given the mid-tournament wrist injury that ruled out Jordan Henderson following post-match celebrations against Mexico. However, Tuchel has firmly established Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson as his preferred midfield pairing.

Rice, the vice-captain, has remained a fixture on the team sheet despite battling a Mexican stomach bug that confined him to bed for three days prior to the quarter-final. Meanwhile, Anderson has flourished since his mid-tournament transfer to Manchester City was completed, delivering his strongest performance against Norway.

During Saturday’s extra-time victory over Norway in Miami, Rice was limited to 45 minutes due to illness and heat. Rather than turning to Mainoo, Tuchel opted for tactical adjustments using players outside their primary positions.

Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze was introduced to provide progressive passing and attacking penetration. Later, Chelsea’s Reece James was deployed in midfield despite a lingering hamstring issue, before shifting back to defence when stand-in right-back Ezri Konsa suffered cramp.

When further midfield reinforcement was required, Morgan Rogers was selected while Eze moved to the left wing. Mainoo remained on the bench, bypassed in favour of established names and immediate tactical flexibility.

For Manchester United, Mainoo’s continued absence on the international stage interrupts the momentum he built after starting the Euro 2024 final at age 18. Yet, as Tuchel pursues the ultimate prize, the manager’s reluctance to deviate from his trusted hierarchy appears set to continue.