Warnock Slams Tuchel Over Mainoo Treatment at World Cup

Neil Warnock has criticised Thomas Tuchel for his handling of Kobbie Mainoo at the 2026 World Cup, claiming the England boss has been 'totally unfair' to the Manchester United midfielder.

Mainoo has not played a single minute during the tournament despite being a surprise call-up. England face France in the third-place playoff on Saturday after losing their semi-final to Argentina.

Warnock's Criticism

Speaking on talkSPORT, Warnock said Mainoo was the type of player needed in the semi-final and criticised Tuchel for publicly commenting on the player's training. He argued such matters should be kept behind closed doors.

• Mainoo should have featured in the final 25 minutes against Argentina, according to Warnock.
• Tuchel reportedly unhappy with Mainoo's training ahead of the Ghana group game.
• Warnock says criticism should be kept one-on-one with the player.
• Suggests Tuchel may avoid playing Mainoo to avoid looking foolish if he plays well.

Mainoo was selected ahead of Adam Wharton and James Garner, raising expectations that he would get minutes. However, he has yet to feature in any of England's five matches.

What's Next for Mainoo?

The third-place match offers a chance for unused players to get game time. Warnock believes Tuchel should give everyone a run-out but doubts Mainoo will play, given the manager's previous decisions.

The situation highlights the pressure on Tuchel to integrate young talent while chasing results, with Mainoo's future role in the England setup now uncertain beyond this tournament.