The Three Lions’ encounter with Belgium at Wembley will be Kobbie Mainoo’s first England start, continuing his meteoric rise.
During the March internationals, the 18-year-old midfielder for Manchester United was quickly added to Gareth Southgate’s senior international team. He made his debut in the 1-0 loss to Brazil by coming off the bench.
Being a midfield counterbalance for Jude Bellingham’s and Declan Rice’s explosive skills has become a concern for Southgate, especially with Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips having bad seasons.
The night before the Belgium game, Southgate was talking about his choices for selection and remarked, “Kobbie has a chance.” “He appears to be quite composed. He seemed to be processing everything.