Rooney Backs Mainoo Over Anderson for England vs DR
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- Wayne Rooney said he would pick Kobbie Mainoo over Elliot Anderson in England's World Cup last-32 tie against DR Congo, advocating a midfield of Declan Rice sitting with Mainoo and Jude Bellingham ahead of him.
- Mainoo, 21, has not won a competitive England cap since September 2024 after losing his Manchester United place under former manager Ruben Amorim, but reclaimed it under Michael Carrick and featured in the last four friendlies.
- Elliot Anderson started all three of England's Group L matches and is close to a £116m club-record move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, according to the report.
- Rooney singled out Mainoo's footwork in tight spaces as his standout quality, calling him "the only one who is capable of doing that in those tight areas."
- Emile Heskey said he was surprised Thomas Tuchel turned to 36-year-old Jordan Henderson rather than Mainoo to close out the 2-0 group win over Panama, questioning why a 20-something player with "three more tournaments ahead of him" was overlooked.
- Rooney admitted he was "gutted Manchester United didn't get him" over Anderson, warning that big-money moves can backfire, citing Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish as examples.
Why it matters: With England into the knockout rounds, Tuchel's midfield choice against DR Congo frames whether Mainoo — restored to United and the national setup after an Amorim-era exile — can force his way into a side currently built around Anderson, a £116m-bound recruit. Heskey's pointed criticism of the Henderson substitution also puts Tuchel's trust in seniority under fresh scrutiny heading into a tournament where England face stiffer opponents.
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