Boycott? Manchester United's new star misses World Cup third-place match with zero appearances, still needs three weeks off and will miss training camp

The England national team defeated France 6-4 in the World Cup third-place match to finish third, their best result since winning the title at home in 1966. Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was not included in the matchday squad, with the official explanation being a pre-match injury. However, the FA did not disclose the specific nature of the injury, sparking speculation about a "deliberate boycott." After the match, Mainoo, wearing the No. 16 jersey, went up with teammate Marcus Rashford to collect his bronze medal, which he "won without playing," and his face showed no signs of joy.

In the pre-World Cup warm-up matches, the 21-year-old Mainoo had the chance to start against New Zealand and came off the bench in another friendly against Costa Rica. However, in the official tournament, Thomas Tuchel did not give the newly extended and raised contract star of Manchester United a single minute of playing time. Instead, England deployed veteran Jordan Henderson and even right-back Reece James in midfield roles.

Before the match against France, the FA issued a statement saying, "Due to an injury, Mainoo is unable to play in today's match against France." The statement did not specify the nature or severity of the player's injury, leading to considerable speculation.

The source of this speculation came from former Manchester United legend Nicky Butt, who publicly suggested that Mainoo should refuse to play for Tuchel's England team as a protest against being left out for seven consecutive matches. Butt said: "I don't know what's going on there, but something isn't right. Now they're going to throw a bomb squad lineup in a meaningless third-place match. If I were Kobbie (Mainoo), I'd refuse to play outright—I'd say I'm injured. This is a pointless game, especially after being treated that way."

Butt added: "He hasn't played a single minute in any match, and now he might be used in this meaningless friendly, risking injury that could keep him out for the entire season... No way. Tuchel shouldn't keep his job—the chance of that is zero. If he stays on, the FA's technical director John McDermott must also be sacked. He's not Sir Bobby Robson or Kevin Keegan, figures beloved by the nation. This coach used an extremely negative tactic in the semi-final, which cost them a win they should have had."

The Manchester United legend believes England could consider one of two managers: "In another year, I'd choose Pep Guardiola. But he just left Manchester City, saying he needs a break before coaching again. Eddie Howe is a great candidate—I hope he takes over, that would be fantastic. Pochettino has an incredibly close relationship with McDermott; they worked together at Tottenham."

The coincidence of Mainoo getting injured right after the legend's suggestion of a boycott was so striking that social media circulated rumors that Mainoo used the injury as an excuse to refuse playing for Tuchel, just as Butt had advised. Of course, there is no solid evidence to support this, and his official absence reason remains an injury preventing him from playing.

Based on his situation at Manchester United, the likelihood of Mainoo boycotting is also low. When Ruben Amorim coached Manchester United, Mainoo went half a Premier League season without a single start and reportedly caused no trouble, simply training and playing normally.

The Athletic's authoritative David Ornstein revealed the relationship between Mainoo and Tuchel. "A source close to the England camp said Mainoo's training performances were quite good. Another source speculated that Tuchel might simply think Mainoo is too young, believing that being a substitute for the World Cup would be enough to satisfy him. As matches passed without being selected, Mainoo found it hard to hide his disappointment. After games, he was often the first player back on the team bus, a scene that became a negative image for England's campaign."

Mainoo's role as a spectator at the World Cup clearly affects Manchester United's pre-season preparations. The Manchester Evening News reported that although he didn't play, training still involved physical exertion, so he must take three weeks off afterward to recover, a mandatory requirement.

The report points out: Despite not playing a single minute in this summer's World Cup, Mainoo still has three weeks of rest before returning to Manchester United for pre-season training. He could make his comeback in a friendly match against Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg, Sweden on August 8, or participate in a training camp in Dublin, Ireland.