Tuchel says Mainoo's World Cup omission 'hurt' him as midfielder returns to England squad
England manager Thomas Tuchel said on Friday that it "hurt" him that Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo did not play at the FIFA World Cup 2026, after naming his latest national squad. Mainoo, 21, has been recalled for the upcoming Nations League window and Tuchel said it is his responsibility to give the player minutes.
Mainoo was part of England's World Cup squad but did not feature in any match during the tournament despite catching the coaching staff’s eye in training. Tuchel retained Mainoo in his new selection after the midfielder started the new season strongly for Manchester United. The manager explained his midfield choices around Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson while addressing Mainoo's lack of World Cup game time.
Tuchel defended the handling of Mainoo at the World Cup, saying: "He didn't put a foot wrong in the World Cup. He was class in behaviour and in training, but it was a big competition." He added context for his selection priorities, saying: "Elliot Anderson is a fantastic player for us; Declan Rice is a very unique player, so we trusted them more than we trusted Kobbie."
On Mainoo's missed opportunity in the third-place match, Tuchel said the midfielder was prevented from playing by injury: "It was difficult for him. He got injured before the France game, so we couldn't give him minutes there, which hurt me." He further acknowledged the wider impact and his obligation to respond, saying: "Maybe it hurt him more than me, but it's my responsibility to reward him for that."
Tuchel was unequivocal about Mainoo's prospects in the upcoming fixtures, stating: "Yes, I expect him to be on the pitch, and it's my duty to put him on the pitch." He also noted that England have four Nations League matches during the window, giving him multiple opportunities to assess midfield options.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer have been recalled after missing the World Cup, and Tuchel set a clear challenge for both players. On Alexander-Arnold he said: "It is now time to fight for his place. He always said he is up to fight for his place, especially for England so it is on him to prove and he is more than welcome in camp." Tuchel also referenced Palmer's club form: "The quality of Trent is undisputable, the quality of Cole Palmer we don't need to talk about it, they need to show it," and the manager noted Palmer had started the season strongly for Chelsea with improved goals, assists and overall output cited as reasons for his recall.
England's four-match Nations League schedule begins with a home game against reigning world champions Spain at Wembley on September 26, followed by fixtures in Czechia on September 29 and Croatia on October 3, before a final home meeting with Czechia on October 6 to complete the window.
Tuchel will have those four Nations League games, starting with Spain at Wembley on September 26, to deploy Mainoo and evaluate his midfield group, a responsibility the manager said he intends to fulfil.
