Why did Kobbie Mainoo miss France vs England FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff?

The 21-year-old did not play a single game during the mega competition!

The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup is now coming to a close. With the last two fixtures left, one of them will be played on July 18. The France national football team will be battling it out against the England national football team in a third-place match at the Miami Stadium.

Les Blues lost to Spain in their semifinal clash. On the other hand, the Three Lions fell prey to the defending champions, Argentina, in their last-four contest. Both of these nations were considered favourites to win the flagship tournament this year, but will now battle for a consolation third-place match.

Kobbie Mainoo became one of the talking points ahead of the France vs England fixture. The young Manchester United star was selected to represent his nation in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Thomas Tuchel chose not to deploy him throughout the tournament. In one of the games, full-back Reece James started as a midfield option ahead of Mainoo.

Also Read: Why is Jude Bellingham benched for France vs England FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff?

Why did Kobbie Mainoo miss the third-place playoff against France?

After the England national football team unveiled their playing XI against France for the FIFA World Cup 2026 third-place playoff, they also mentioned that Kobbie Mainoo is ruled out of today’s matchday squad due to injury.

This ends the World Cup campaign for the 21-year-old this year.

After his top-of-the-line performances for Manchester United during the 2025-26 season, Kobbie Mainoo was selected to play for the Three Lions at the grandest stage of them all. Fans on social media were unhappy with Tuchel’s decision to not play the 21-year-old, even though Declan Rice was not 100%.

Some reports also claimed that England’s head coach was not satisfied with Kobbie Mainoo’s performances in the training sessions.

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