Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford on World Cup fans’ impact | OneFootball

Manchester United have two representatives in England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup squad, but only one of them has made it onto the pitch so far. Marcus Rashford has one start and two substitute appearances at this summer’s spectacle, while Kobbie Mainoo has yet to kick a ball at the tournament.

The 21 year old midfielder is coming off an impressive second half of the season, in which he played a starring role in the Red Devils’ third-place finish in the Premier League. That earned Mainoo a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad and a new contract at Old Trafford.

Kobbie Mainoo Stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Transfermarkt.

However, it has not been enough to secure minutes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Tuchel has opted for a pairing of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson in midfield, while against Panama, Jordan Henderson was preferred to Mainoo from the bench.

Rashford, meanwhile, has clocked 115 minutes of action in the tournament, including a full 90-minute appearance against Panama over the weekend. The English forward looked lively in parts in the final group-stage game, prompting praise from United legend Rio Ferdinand. Rashford has now opened up on interacting with fans across the Atlantic.

Rashford enjoying fan interactions

Speaking on episode 13 of the Lions’ Den, Rashford revealed that England players are enjoying their post-match interactions with fans. He said: “For us as players, every game’s a stepping stone to get to what we want to do.”

“But that [post-match moments with fans] is probably the only bit of the whole camp when we get to see the enjoyment of winning a game.”

“So you really enjoy the moment because for us, we have a game and regardless of the result, you have to go and prepare for the next game in the group stage or whatever is next.”

“It’s an ‘onto the next one’ mentality so you don’t always enjoy those little moments of winning a game or getting through the group, but the fans definitely remind us of how exciting it is and how happy they are for us.”

Mainoo looking forward to locking horns with ex-United team-mates

While he is yet to make his debut in the tournament, Mainoo remains upbeat and is enjoying his time with his international team-mates. Shedding light on his interaction with fans, the United midfielder said: “We’re in a camp so we don’t get to see the outside too much, but to hear from the fans makes you realise how big what we’re actually doing is.”

“It feels positive now, we’ve had a tough group stage, but the team feels together and we’re looking forward to what’s next.”

England are preparing to face Congo in the Round of 32 at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, 1 July. The game could pitch Mainoo and Rashford against former United players Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe.

Mainoo went on to reveal that he is relishing the prospect of locking horns with the duo, adding: “They have some great players that we know, in Axel and Aaron, so we know them well as players.”

“That might help us a bit but they’re still top players and they’re a top nation, so it’s a tough game and we’ll approach it how we’ve done for the other games.”

Final Thoughts

Mainoo is likely to be frustrated by the lack of game time and will be hoping he can finally secure minutes in the Round of 32. The experience of being at the World Cup is expected to aid his development, although United fans will argue he deserves to start regularly for the Three Lions.

Featured image by Molly Darlington/Getty Images

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