Ahead of his World Cup debut, Kobbie Mainoo says Michael Carrick’s belief changed everything for his career, describing the manager as the reason he’s “grateful” to be in England’s plans under Thomas Tuchel. Mainoo also points to Carrick’s permanent appointmen
Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t sound like a player just grateful for a moment. He sounds like someone trying to put a full year of career swings into the right order—who believed, who gave him minutes, and who kept the faith when his time at Old Trafford looked anything but certain.
Ahead of his England World Cup debut. the Manchester United midfielder credited Michael Carrick for his World Cup call-up. and for the sudden turn his career took with both club and country. Mainoo said he was “definitely” grateful to Carrick for him being given the chance—because. in his words. “if he hadn’t put me on the pitch. then I wouldn’t have been here so. I’m always grateful to him for that.”.
The contrast is stark. Rewind 12 months and Mainoo was drifting in the “wilderness. ” hardly seeing the pitch during Ruben Amorim’s reign at Old Trafford. His limited role came after Amorim’s period at the club—and England moved on from the player who had been instrumental in Manchester United’s runners-up finish at Euro 2024.
That changed once Carrick took over. Mainoo’s game-time returned. and he took his place in United’s midfield—next to Casemiro—showing he “looked like he hadn’t missed a step.” His resurgence didn’t go unnoticed beyond Old Trafford. and it fed directly into Thomas Tuchel’s selection. Mainoo was picked to represent the Three Lions in the March international break. and then to be part of the 2026 World Cup plans.
When asked by talkSPORT if he partly had Carrick to thank for his place in Tuchel’s 26-player squad, Mainoo answered with a simple certainty: “Definitely, and I told him that I was very grateful.”
Carrick’s permanent appointment seemed to match what Mainoo experienced on the pitch. It wasn’t just a vote of confidence from above; it was backed by results and regular starts. Carrick has a two-year contract, and Mainoo said United were behind him from the start. He started 16 of 17 possible games since Carrick took charge, with the one he missed coming only because of injury.
Those performances mattered. Mainoo’s return to form and the backing he received at Old Trafford played a major role in Manchester United’s third-place Premier League finish and their Champions League qualification.
Carrick, though, was the point Mainoo kept returning to. The 44-year-old took over after Amorim was dismissed in January, and after his “audition,” Carrick earned a two-year deal through summer 2028. Mainoo said: “We were very happy with it, obviously, we were behind the manager from the start.”
“So many great performances under him, and I love the way he coaches and manages me personally in the team as well. I think everyone in the squad can agree with that, so when he officially got the job, we were all so happy.”
Mainoo’s World Cup readiness comes with a clear condition: if he avoids injury at this summer’s World Cup. he expects to return to Carrick’s XI when United begin the 2026–27 season. But there’s another change waiting at club level—one that will test the partnership that helped define Mainoo’s early breakthrough.
Casemiro is set to miss that return. He bid farewell to the club after four seasons in a red shirt, leaving a midfield hole next to Mainoo that United have seemingly already moved to fill.
Éderson, an Atalanta midfielder, is reportedly on his way to Manchester. He is tipped to be Casemiro’s successor. The adjustment could be immediate, because Mainoo spent much of his young United career working alongside Casemiro.
The shift may not be as disruptive as it looks. largely because Éderson’s profile is described as similar to Casemiro’s. The Brazilian is a physical box-to-box midfielder, known for consistently winning duels and recovering possession. The idea is that Éderson’s presence will support Mainoo in a way that mirrors what Casemiro did—helping them build control from midfield and keep the engine running as United chase the next phase after a third-place finish.
Kobbie Mainoo Michael Carrick England World Cup Thomas Tuchel Manchester United Ruben Amorim Casemiro Ederson Premier League Champions League qualification