Tuchel confirms back injury ruled Mainoo out of England's third-place win

Kobbie Mainoo missed England's World Cup third-place play-off victory over France because of a back injury, head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed. The Manchester United midfielder ended the tournament without playing a single minute.

England won the match 6-4 in Miami, securing their best World Cup finish since 1966. Tuchel rotated his team heavily for the game, giving opportunities to players who had featured little during the finals, but Mainoo was unavailable.

What happened

England issued a brief statement before kick-off confirming that the 21-year-old was out of the matchday squad to face France. Tuchel later gave more detail, saying Mainoo had been hurt in the final training session the previous morning and had felt a sharp pain in his back.

Mainoo was an unused substitute throughout the tournament. He had played a prominent part in England's run to the Euro 2024 final, but now faces a wait until at least 2030 for a World Cup debut.

Key points

• England beat France 6-4 in Miami to finish third
• Kobbie Mainoo was ruled out with a back injury sustained in training
• The Manchester United midfielder played no minutes at the finals
• Thomas Tuchel made sweeping changes for the play-off
• England's semi-final ended in a 2-1 defeat by Argentina after they led 1-0

Why it matters

Mainoo's lack of involvement drew criticism, particularly after England surrendered a 1-0 lead in their semi-final against Argentina. Former Sheffield United and Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock told talkSPORT that Mainoo possessed the qualities England needed in the closing stages of that game, pointing to his running and ability to carry the ball.

There were also suggestions Tuchel had been unhappy with what he saw from Mainoo in training before England's 0-0 group-stage draw with Ghana.

England return home with bronze medals and a third-place finish, while Mainoo heads back to Manchester United for pre-season. His focus will now shift to club football and, longer term, to forcing his way into England's plans for the next World Cup cycle.