Casemiro Leaves Man Utd Parting Warning About Kobbie Mainoo

The Brazilian veteran will shortly bring down the curtain on a four-year stint at Old Trafford.

A changing of the guard moment? | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Casemiro has warned Manchester United to keep faith in Kobbie Mainoo because he has the ability to be “one of the best eights” for more than a decade.

The Brazilian veteran, who will pass over the keys to United’s midfield when he leaves Old Trafford in June, witnessed first-hand Mainoo’s meteoric rise in 2024 and his spectacular fall in 2025.

The academy graduate was bizarrely kept at arm’s length by former United manager Ruben Amorim, not starting a single Premier League game in the first half of 2025–26. After recovering from a minor injury over Christmas, he has played all but 14 minutes out of 900 in the league since Michael Carrick took over in mid-January. Casemiro has started next to Mainoo each time.

“Kobbie is the present and the future,” Casemiro told ManUtd.com in a fan Q&A. “I think that he is one of the best eights and can be for that for the next 12 years. He is a player I really like—he always wants the ball.

“It is true that football can’t change your mentality, but Kobbie demonstrated that he hasn’t changed his focus once. He has to continue focusing like he is now and continue playing the important role he is now. But what a player he is, he is a great player. He has demonstrated this, in the Euros final with England, he has demonstrated it in finals, he scored in the [2024] FA Cup final.

“He is the present and the future.”

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Kobbie Mainoo’s World Cup Prospects

Kobbie Mainoo is back in the England fold. | Michael Regan/The FA/Getty Images

Just months after establishing himself in United’s first-team at the age of 18, Mainoo had played his way into England’s strongest midfield. The youngster only had three caps to his name when Euro 2024 kicked off but forced his way into the XI after the group stage as the Three Lions reached the final.

His international career stalled after that, only playing once more for his country—in September 2024—until being recalled last month due to the resurgence in his club career.

Mainoo appeared off the bench in England’s draw against Uruguay, before starting the defeat to Japan, and will hope a strong end to the club season will earn him a place in Thomas Tuchel’s XI for the Group L opener against Croatia in Arlington on June 17.

He replaced Jordan Henderson against Uruguay and started next to Elliot Anderson for the Japan game. If Mainoo starts at the World Cup it would almost certainly be alongside Declan Rice, rather than Anderson, but the Arsenal midfielder had to withdraw in March through injury.

If Manchester United get their ideal way in the transfer market, however, Mainoo could be lining up alongside Anderson from next season at Old Trafford.

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