Gareth Southgate reveals he wouldn’t have any hesitation in starting Kobbie Mainoo for England at Euro 2024 after 19-year-old’s superb displays for Manchester United

England manager Gareth Southgate has revealed that he wouldn’t have any hesitation in starting Kobbie Mainoo at Euro 2024.

Mainoo, who enjoyed a tremendous breakthrough campaign for Manchester United, was named in the England starting lineup for the final warm-up game at home to Iceland on Friday – where the Three Lions were defeated 1-0. 

Despite the fact that Mainoo is only 19-years-old and was making just third appearance for England, Southgate stated that the prospect is in contention to start against Serbia on June 16. 

Southgate told Channel 4: ‘We wouldn’t have any hesitation in starting him. He’s shown incredible maturity, he progresses the ball forward quickly. He had two fabulous appearances here in March.’

As Southgate alluded to, Mainoo caught the eye in his first two appearances for England against Brazil and Belgium in March. 

Southgate gave Mainoo his third England cap for the game at home to Iceland on Wednesday

There is much competition for places in the England side and it will be intriguing to see if Mainoo will be able to establish himself in the team during the course of the tournament.

With his composure in possession, Mainoo has won many admirers. 

It has been a meteoric rise for the prospect, who jumped straight from the England U19 squad into the senior side.

During an excellent individual season at United, which concluded with him winning the FA Cup, Mainoo made 32 appearances across all competitions.

England were booed off by the supporters at Wembley on Friday evening, to which Southgate admitted he understood their frustrations.

On the defeat and the supporters reaction, Southgate said: ‘I completely understand (the boos). We didn’t play well enough to keep them excited within the game.

Southgate admitted he understood the negative reaction from the crowd on Friday evening

‘We had some very, very good chances which normally would be finished which could have given a different complexion to the game and of course would have affected the confidence of the opponent.

‘But that would have masked some flaws that were apparent tonight. From my perspective, I’ve learned a lot from the game.

‘It does focus the mind that any sort of complacency that talent is going to get us this trophy and that we only have to stroll in…football is not like that. You’ve got to be spot on in every aspect of the game to win any game at this level and we were a long way short of that tonight and Iceland deserved their win.