Thomas Tuchel has announced that “sharp” back pain has sidelined Kobbie Mainoo from England’s bronze final against France at the World Cup, unexpectedly leaving the midfielder out of the lineup.

England coach Tuchel made seven changes to his starting XI in the match where England triumphed over France with a score of 6-4. This victory came just three days after the Three Lions faced a tough 1-0 defeat against Argentina in the semi-finals.

Advertisement

Against France, it was anticipated that Tuchel would provide starting opportunities to players who had received limited or no game time throughout the tournament, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson and striker Ivan Toney being prominent beneficiaries. Mainoo was also considered a viable option for a midfield spot.

However, prior to the kickoff in Miami, Florida, it was confirmed that the Manchester United prospect would not participate due to an injury, despite not having played a single minute in the tournament.

“Kobbie was injured in the last training session yesterday morning,” Tuchel explained regarding the 21-year-old on Saturday. “He had a sharp pain in the back during training and was not ready to play.”

Supporters regretted Mainoo’s absence from England’s World Cup journey, especially in light of the team’s recent defeat to Argentina.

Advertisement

England initially led the match against Argentina 1-0 in the second half, courtesy of a goal from Anthony Gordon. However, they fell back into a defensive stance, which proved detrimental, as Tuchel’s substitutions appeared to exacerbate the problem. Enzo Fernandez managed to equalize with a late goal from the edge of the box, followed by a header from Lautaro Martinez that secured Argentina’s spot in the final against Spain.

Many fans believed the team required a midfielder capable of maintaining possession, and Mainoo’s skills were thought to fit that need. Yet, he would have been stepping into the match with no prior minutes played thus far in the tournament, as Tuchel had not given him any playing time.