In an era of specialists, genuine all-rounders have become a little more difficult to find.
But in Manchester United’s rising star, a genuine master of all trades is developing at Old Trafford. A footballer who, almost immediately after breaking into the first-team picture for both club and country, has stood out head and shoulders amongst his more experienced team-mates.
Not only is Kobbie Mainoo pretty much the first name on Man United’s team sheet these days, he is already closing in on undroppable territory for England too.
Stan Collymore, the former Three Lions striker, felt that Mainoo had ’embarrassed’ many of England’s other starters during a typically masterful display in the last-eight triumph over Switzerland last weekend.
The 19-year-old went up another notch four days later against the Netherlands.
Comparisons have often been drawn with the legendary Clarence Seedorf. And, against the former AC Milan and Real Madrid playmaker’s home country, Mainoo produced a display befitting of the four-time Champions League winner.
Kobbie Mainoo is already Manchester United and England’s star
“(Mainoo is) an orthodox midfielder,” Collymore tells talkSPORT (11 July, 1pm). “People were Tweeting the similarities – and there are in-game similarities… I hate when people say the ‘next this’ or the ‘next that’ when they bare no relation to the person that you’re comparing with.
“But he really does play like Clarence Seedorf.”
One moment in particular stands out for Collymore.
A moment which not only highlighted Mainoo’s silky smooth possession play but also his fierce determination and a willingness to throw his body on the line, the Carrington kid scarily close to becoming the ‘complete’ footballer even before his 20th birthday.
“I saw a passage of play; within a 60, 70 second montage, he was about ten yards outside of the Dutch box, playing little passes, lending the ball out, looking to probe, looking to pass,” ex-Liverpool and Aston Villa forward Collymore adds.
“And then the Dutch counter attacked and he’s making a challenge on the edge of his own box. That’s not a defensive midfielder. That’s not an attacking midfielder. That’s what we called an old-fashioned all-round midfielder.
“So I am sure Manchester United and their technical staff will be salivating at that, as will Gareth Southgate and any future England manager.”
Gareth Southgate’s England face Spain in Euro final
While the present certainly looks promising – England just 90 minutes away from their first major tournament triumph since 1966 – Collymore feels that the future is positively gleaming for a side who’s brightest talent have arguably only scratched the surface of their true potential.
When you look at what we really do have, you take for granted now that Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham are mainstays and they are still young puppies,” he adds.
“You’ve got Mainoo, (Adam) Wharton and other young players, we haven’t even talked about people like Jack Grealish or Jadon Sancho when he settles again at another club. It’s a real vindication of the St George’s park system and the investment clubs are putting in from elite academies from all the way down.
“Mainoo was absolutely fantastic. And the biggest testament I could play to him is that, genuinely looking at him, the comparisons with Clarence Seedorf were valid.”
England will face Spain in Sunday’s Euro decider.
Triumph, and Mainoo will be an FA Cup and a European Championship winner less than 12 months after making his full debut.