In a press conference held at the training camp in Blankenhain, England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo expressed his readiness and excitement as the Three Lions prepare for their second group game at EURO2024.
Gareth Southgate’s side are set to face Denmark this coming Thursday in Frankfurt. Mainoo, participating in his first major tournament, shared his thoughts on team dynamics, personal growth, and the challenges ahead.
Embed from Getty Images“All good things come to those who wait”
Mainoo started the conference with a smile, having just finished a round of darts; a traditional pre-news conference warm-up. The first question addressed England’s upcoming match against Denmark, where Mainoo will face his Manchester United team-mates in Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Højlund.
“They’re both great team-mates to me, Rasmus is young like me so I am always around him. I am trying to learn and pick up from Christian. If I’m to play on Thursday I’ll have to put that aside.”
Maintaining strong relationships with his club mates like Hojlund, Mainoo said: “I’ve not spoken to him recently, but I’ll leave that for after the game. I’m focused on here and maybe after the game I’ll speak to him. Maybe, I don’t know, I haven’t played against him before. He’s a really good friend, it’s good to have those relationships on the pitch and off the pitch.”
Mainoo highlighted his competitive spirit and readiness to play when expressing, “I’m ready to play, whether that’s off the bench or starting. Obviously, there’s other great midfielders in the squad in the Premier League or abroad like Jude [Bellingham]. I’m trying to train hard and be ready when I’m called upon.”
Leadership and camaraderie emerged as the key themes of the press conference, with Mainoo speaking about the importance of experienced players guiding the younger ones through the ropes. He said, “There are a lot of leaders on the pitch. A lot of players are club or vice-captains. Everyone is a leader in different ways, and that’s what we are good at.”
“We’ve got the right balance. With experience, we can help the younger lads who haven’t had as many caps. The senior lads have got to help those younger ones, but they are top players, and they don’t need much help.”
Mainoo also praised his fellow midfielder in Jude Bellingham, expressing confidence in his midfield compatriot’s potential for future accolades: “Everyone knows how great of a player he is. We see it every day in training here. He’s such a nice guy as well. He’s demanding. He has high standards that he sets. To play with him is great. It’s rightly so he’s a contender for the Ballon d’Or.”
Regarding his teammate Declan Rice, Mainoo said: “Dec is such a good player, reliable and dominant in the midfield. When I did get to play with him it’s always a joy to have someone so strong with the ball next to you. Everyone knows he’s worth every penny, he’s such a good player. He’s proved it in the Premier League and internationally.”
Mainoo’s admiration for his fellow England players like Phil Foden was also evident. “On the ball, his first touch is crazy, he’s so technical.” He recalled his childhood idols, including Wayne Rooney and Ronaldinho, whose skills he often watched on YouTube.
Embed from Getty ImagesReflecting on his personal breakthrough season and his time spent overcoming injury, Mainoo shared his journey back to full fitness. “[My injury] was a tough one to take. It took me a day or two to sink in. From then it was focusing on getting back and trusting the process and medical team so that I would be in better shape and position to be back.”
Asked about the unusual practice of drinking pickle juice to prevent cramps, Mainoo was candid in his response: “I’ve not tried pickle juice. I didn’t know that was a cramp fix. I’m not doing it!”
Mainoo also expressed his upmost gratitude towards Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag: “Happy to be building with him, got two trophies hopefully there’s more to come. Peace of mind to know what manager we have when we return. I’m so grateful for him, he put so much trust in me to play in the team. I can’t thank him enough.”
Speaking in regards to his international allegiance, Mainoo explained his choice to play for England despite his Ghanaian heritage. “I’m proud of my Ghanaian heritage but it has always been a dream to play for England. I’m happy to be here. I considered it, but I want to play for England.”
Regarding recent allegations of racist chanting during England’s match against Serbia, Mainoo deferred the topic onto the responsibility of the authorities: “I’ve not [heard]. I only heard about it on the way over but as it is an ongoing investigation I will leave it to UEFA to decide whatever is going on with it.”
Mainoo’s fearless attitude is rooted in his childhood experiences: “Growing up, I always looked up to attackers. I was a striker for most of my academy days. I love being on the ball, maybe playing futsal means I’m comfortable taking it in tight areas and I like to turn and go forward with it.”
As EURO2024 progresses, Mainoo’s dedication and readiness to play promise to be invaluable for England. The young midfielder embodies the spirit of the Three Lions, ready to take on any challenge that comes his way.
Follow the lead-up to England’s clash with Denmark, and the action from every game of the tournament, here on FromTheSpot.
