Former Premier League manager Neil Warnock has launched a blistering attack on England boss Thomas Tuchel, accusing the German coach of grossly mistreating Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo at the 2026 World Cup.
‘Totally Unfair!’ – Warnock Blasts Tuchel for Publicly Humiliating Man Utd Star Mainoo
Warnock’s fury centres on Tuchel’s decision to publicly criticise the 21-year-old’s training performances, despite not giving him a single minute of tournament action.
The Three Lions face France in Saturday’s third-place play-off in Miami after their heartbreaking semi-final defeat to Argentina, with Mainoo’s complete omission becoming a major talking point.
“He’s commented about his training not being very good. You don’t say that to the press,” Warnock fumed on talkSPORT’s Weekend Sports Breakfast.
“You tell the player. You put an arm around him and say: ‘Look, you’re not training so good, son.
Can you lift your percentage up?’ It’s totally unfair. Things like that should be kept inside the camp.”
The former Cardiff and Sheffield United boss argued that Mainoo’s unique skill set was exactly what England desperately needed during their agonising 2-1 semi-final collapse against Argentina.
Rather than turning to the Manchester United star to inject composure, Tuchel deployed an ultra-defensive block that ultimately cracked under intense pressure.
“He was the type of lad that you needed in that last 25 minutes because he’s got the legs, he can hold it up, he can run with the ball,” Warnock insisted.
Mainoo’s selection for the World Cup squad raised eyebrows in the first place, with Tuchel preferring him to Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Everton’s James Garner.
Yet that vote of confidence has counted for nothing, with the midfielder watching from the sidelines throughout the entire tournament.
Warnock questioned the logic behind Tuchel’s handling of the situation.
“Will he play him now, and then he has a fantastic game and make Tuchel look stupid? Or does he just not bother playing in case he has a good game?” he asked.
“I don’t think he’ll play him, but listen, he should do now. He should give everybody a game, shouldn’t he?”
The controversy has only intensified after England confirmed Mainoo is ruled out of the France match through injury, bringing a miserable tournament for the young midfielder to an anti-climactic end.
