Man Utd legend Nicky Butt has told Kobbie Mainoo to boycott England’s World Cup third‑place play‑off vs France, a reaction to the midfielder becoming an unused player throughout the entire 2026 World Cup campaign, Softfootball understands.
Speaking to the media, Butt expressed strong frustration over Mainoo’s treatment:
I do not know what is going on there, there’s something not quite right with [Mainoo not playing at World Cup]. Now they’re going to play the bomb squad in the stupid third-place game.
I’d just refuse to play if I was Kobbie Mainoo. I’d say I was injured. It’s a nonsense game, especially when you’ve been treated like that.
He’s not played a minute of football, now to go and start this pointless jumped-up friendly and potentially get injured for the whole season? No!
The truth is this situation is very shocking, and the big question remains: why was he invited if he was not considered good enough to play, even when England were winning matches deep into additional time?
