Joe Cole has delivered his verdict on Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo’s full England debut against Belgium tonight.
Kobbie Mainoo started from the off for England on Tuesday evening and made an impression in the first half.
The Manchester United youngster was given the nod alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in the middle of the park.
It’s fair to say that Mainoo looked unfazed during his first start for the Three Lions as he displayed his usual composure on the ball.
Despite England heading into the break 2-1 down, Joe Cole was impressed with Mainoo’s first-half display.
Cole reacts to Mainoo’s full England debut vs Belgium
Speaking on Channel 4, the Chelsea legend delivered his verdict on Mainoo after an eye-catching 45 minutes from the youngster.
“This is what he is in the team for – breaking the play, winning the ball,” Cole said. “But on the ball, I have been so impressed.
“He can operate in tight spaces, he’s a natural footballer, he has just given us a nice bit of balance in there. For a lad of 18 to do that at Wembley, fantastic.”
Mainoo’s England debut
The 18-year-old actually made his debut for England against Brazil on Saturday as he came on for the final 15 minutes in a 1-0 defeat.
But after being handed the chance to impress from the off tonight, Mainoo certainly caught the eye.
He played a role in England’s equaliser in the first half as Ivan Toney grabbed his first international goal from the spot.
The Brentford man won the penalty after receiving the ball from Jude Bellingham. But it was Mainoo who picked out Bellingham after receiving the ball on the edge of the area.
Despite the array of talent on display for England tonight, the United youngster looked as if he belonged at this level from minute one.
Mainoo even had the opportunity to open his account for the Three Lions in the second half as the ball fell kindly to him in the box. But he was denied by an exceptional save from Matz Sels.
He was replaced by James Maddison in the 73rd minute but off the back of such a display, you’d imagine his chances of going to the Euros this summer have increased.
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