The Man Utd and England prodigy was full of praise for his club boss in a pre-Denmark press conference
Ahead of England’s clash against Denmark on Thursday, Kobbie Mainoo spoke to the press on Erik ten Hag staying at Man Utd and choosing to play for England over Ghana.
Mainoo has enjoyed a spectacular breakout season, making his Premier League debut at just 18 years of age.
In such a short period of time, he then debuted for England in March 2024, playing at Wembley versus Brazil and Belgium.
Against Belgium, the teenager earned national plaudits as he won Player of the Match before cementing his place at Euro 2024 as the youngest player in the England squad.
When quizzed on if he was ready to play, Mainoo said he’s more than prepared to contribute:
“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.”
Speaking on Serbia match-winner Bellingham, he was full of praise for his teammate when asked if he could potentially win the Ballon D’or:
“Yeah definitely [on whether Bellingham could the Ballon d’Or]. I mean everyone knows how great of a player he is. We see it everyday 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.”
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Then asked on whether he considered playing for Ghana instead of England, Mainoo stated:
“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.”
Mainoo heaps praise on Erik ten Hag
Speaking on boss Erik ten Hag, he was full of praise for the Man Utd manager after the news that he’s staying at the club:
“(I’m) 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.”
