Kobbie Mainoo embarrassed £105m player

At just 19 years old, Mainoo began the tournament on the bench, but very quickly he’s become irreplaceable in centre-midfield for Gareth Southgate.

It has come as no surprise to Manchester United fans as Mainoo has been doing it since November at Old Trafford.

Now, he’s set for a second final in two months and the chance to make history for England, all while playing alongside a player he embarrassed last summer.

Kobbie Mainoo embarrassed Declan Rice one year ago

This time last year, Declan Rice was a new £105 million signing for Arsenal and was on their US tour for the 2023 pre-season.

It was here that Rice met Mainoo for the first time and will have been left slightly embarrassed after doing so as the Carrington graduate looked the £105m player in the duel between the two

Mainoo made a statement in that game and it has likely contributed to how quickly he established himself as ready in the mind of Erik ten Hag.

One year on from this game and the performance has been proven to be a true example of Mainoo’s ability rather than a one-off and now he’s shown it for England over the past four games.

Mainoo and Rice are now midfield partners and could win the Euros

After the aforementioned performance, Rice surely was left wondering who Mainoo was, but very aware that he’d just seen the future of English football.

Now, a year on, the Arsenal midfielder is set to start alongside Mainoo in Berlin against Spain with international glory on the line.

It’s a second consecutive Euros final and Rice will be desperate to see this time around end better than three years ago.

If successful it’d be the first international trophy for England since 1966 and doing so in Mainoo’s first tournament would be quite telling