“I just have a feeling about Mainoo and the final”: Wayne Rooney predicts England midfielder to score against Spain
England are all set to face Spain in the finals of the 2024 Euros. This will be their toughest test of the tournament so far, as Spain have had an unbeaten run into the finals. Former England captain Wayne Rooney has backed Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to score in the finals against Spain.
The 19-year-old midfielder has been revelation for Manchester United and England this year. He even score in the finals of the FA Cup in May, which helped the Red Devils beat Manchester City. Hence, Wayne Rooney believes that the midfielder could be the difference maker in the finals against Spain.
Wayne Rooney believes that the Spanish defenders will be well prepared for the likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, which would open a lot of space for Kobbie Mainoo to sneak in to the box and score a goal.
“I just have a feeling about Mainoo and the final,” Rooney said in his column for The Times. “That he is going to score and prove decisive. If you think of him in the tournament, he has got into good positions going forward and I think Spain will do their homework and close off space for Harry Kane, Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham. But that will leave space for a midfielder arriving late, and that Mainoo will get one from a cut-back,” he added.
Wayne Rooney heaps praise on Kobbie Mainoo’s maturity
Wayne Rooney has heaped praise on Kobbie Mainoo’s incredible level of maturity at such a tender age. The English youngster is playing his first ever major International tournament, and has established himself as a regular in the starting eleven as the tournament has gone on.
“His maturity is so impressive.The other youngsters — Williams, Yamal, Bellingham, Foden — all play in attacking positions whereas Mainoo, at 19, is excelling in one that requires enormous discipline and game understanding,” Rooney added.
Apart from his defensive abilities and playing good forward passes, the youngster also has a knack of scoring goals. Wayne Rooney went on to add that the Spanish prodigy Nico Williams will also be regarded as one of the best talents in the world.
“Williams will also, very soon, surely be regarded as one of the world’s best. We need players to replace Lionel Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] at the top of the tree and Williams, Mainoo, Foden, Bellingham, Yamal — alongside Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland — are the ones you hope and expect to go and do that.”
Spain have been brilliant in the tournament so far, and start as the certain favorites against England. The 2010 World Champions defeated the hosts in the quarterfinals, which was followed by a comeback victory over France in the last four clash.
