Kobbie Mainoo becomes meme after Tuchel leaves him on England bench

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has become the latest subject of World Cup memes after England boss Thomas Tuchel left the 21-year-old out of his starting lineup at the 2026 World Cup. Tuchel preferred Elliot Anderson and Declan Rice at the base of midfield across England's three group games, leaving Mainoo yet to kick a ball in the tournament.

Social media filled with exaggerated scenarios — one meme showed the manager in an England kit ready to play himself, while others depicted a man struggling not to fall off a bridge or crawling on his hands to avoid getting his boots wet rather than hand Mainoo minutes.

The run of bench-related jokes follows a similar trend around Real Madrid forward Endrick, who was an unused substitute against Morocco and drew questions about his relationship with Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti.

England

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