England’s manager Thomas Tuchel says Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo misses the World Cup third-place match against France due to a back injury. Multiple outlets report that Mainoo did not play any minutes during England’s World Cup campaign and was not included even as a substitute for the 6-4 win over France. The Football Association confirmed before kick-off that the 21-year-old was absent because of injury.
Tuchel explains that the injury occurred during training: Mainoo felt a sharp pain in his back during the last training session before the match and was not ready to play. The reports also note that Mainoo had not featured in other games earlier in the tournament period, and that his absence leaves questions about England’s midfield options.
One outlet includes commentary from former players, who questioned why Mainoo was not used more during the tournament and suggested he might have chosen to avoid the match if unavailable. Still, across sources, the common point is that England’s bronze final absence is attributed to the back problem that left him sidelined.
