Kobbie Mainoo sets Euro 2024 goal after breaking into England squad
England
Kobbie Mainoo sets Euro 2024 goal after breaking into England squad
Mainoo missed out on Gareth Southgate's England squad before being added later
Teenage midfielder backed to earn Euro 2024 spot
England face Brazil & Belgium in friendlies this month
By Tom Gott
10:00 AM GMT
Mainoo is part of the senior England squad
Mainoo is part of the senior England squad / Michael Regan/GettyImages
Kobbie Mainoo has set himself the goal of earning a spot in the England squad for this summer's European Championships.
The Manchester United midfielder initially missed out on a spot in Gareth Southgate's senior squad for the March international break and was instead lined up for his Under-21 debut, but was later drafted into the team.
Now enjoying his first taste of England action, Mainoo admitted he is focused on retaining his spot ahead of Euro 2024.
"I think that’s the end goal for the season, to get into that squad," he confessed. "Obviously I've got to focus on club football in the meantime, and hopefully that'll figure itself out.
"I was shocked and happy with the call-up and it's been a whirlwind of emotions, I guess. It's been good. I mean, I feel welcome. The lads and the staff have all been great and welcoming. I trained my first proper session today and I enjoyed it. It was a good session."
Kobbie Mainoo
Mainoo has impressed for Man Utd / Alex Livesey/GettyImages
While Mainoo tried to avoid getting caught up in supporters' pleas for him to be included in this latest England squad, the 18-year-old admitted representing the Three Lions has been on his mind recently.
"Of course, as a kid you always dream of playing for England," he said. "But at the time I was just taking it game by game. I always hoped and dreamed that this would come, and it finally has.
"As of recent, the games have been coming so fast at United I've not really had the time to think about it. I have not really thought about it too much. Obviously I knew the international break was coming up, so thought about it a bit but, still, we had so many big games that I couldn't really take my eye off the ball. But now I'm here, obviously I am taking it all in and it's been amazing.
"I mean, obviously I'm proud of my Ghanaian heritage, but playing for England is also an amazing opportunity for me. I'm just enjoying the experience."
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La Liga
La Liga team of the 2023/24 season so far - March 2024 update
Jude Bellingham and Antoine Griezmann have starred in Madrid
A number of Girona stars make the cut
One Barcelona player gets into the team of the season so far
By Jack Gallagher
7:00 AM GMT
Two superstars
Two superstars / Mateo Villalba/Contributor
The 2023/24 La Liga season has been full of everything we've come to love about Spanish football.
Superstars like Jude Bellingham have excelled, tiny clubs like Girona have exceeded expectations and, the Spanish football dailies have continued be littered with off-field drama at some of the biggest clubs in the world (mostly Barcelona).
With just nine gameweeks of the season left, we thought we'd have a crack at picking a team of the year so far...
GK: Alex Remiro
Alex Remiro
Playing well / Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/GettyImages
Club: Real Sociedad
With Thibaut Courtois missing the full season, and La Liga's best goalkeeper of last season Marc-Andre ter Stegen missing 17 games due to a back injury, there was not real clear choice for this spot.
Andriy Lunin has been great in recent weeks, and Jan Oblak has been as reliable as ever too, but we ultimately opted to give the nod to Alex Remiro.
The Real Sociedad goalkeeper has barely put a foot wrong all season - as the club's impressive defensive record attests.
RB: Yan Couto
Yan Couto
Consistent performer / Angel Martinez/GettyImages
Club: Girona
The first of quite a few Girona players in this team (spoiler alert), 21-year-old Yan Couto has firmly established himself as one of the best full-backs around in 2023/24.
His offensive prowess - which has resulted in him bagging eight goal contributions - has been key to Girona's remarkable ascent to the upper reaches of La Liga.
CB: Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger
One of the world's best / Ion Alcoba Beitia/GettyImages
Club: Real Madrid
Considering that Real Madrid have the best defensive record in La Liga despite having essentially one fully fit centre-back for most of the season, that fully fit centre-back Antonio Rudiger is more than deserving of his spot in this team.
The ex-Chelsea man has been sublime for the capital club.
CB: Daley Blind
Daley Blind
Still going strong / Denis Doyle/GettyImages
Club: Girona
The year is 2024 and Daley Blind is still a genuinely very, very good footballer.
The Dutchman has been the beating heart of Girona's La Liga title challenge, kickstarting 99% of their offensive forays with his calm and effective use of the ball when playing out from the back.
LB: Joao Cancelo
Joao Cancelo
Cancelo has been a key player for Xavi's side / Alex Caparros/GettyImages
Club: Barcelona
The Manchester City outcast may have finally found a home at Barcelona...if they can afford to keep him that is.
Having started virtually every game for Barca since he joined on loan on summer deadline day, it's fair to say that Cancelo is now an integral member of Xavi Hernandz's squad. His eight goal contributions in all competitions is certainly nothing to be sniffed at.
DM: Aurelien Tchouameni
Aurelien Tchouameni
The rock at the heart of Madrid's midfield / Alex Caparros/GettyImages
Club: Real Madrid
Every team needs a player who'll do the dirty work at the heart of the midfield, and there's perhaps no one better in the world for that job than Aurelien Tchouameni.
The France international has expertly marshalled the Madrid midfield, providing a solid base from which his creative teammate can go and win games from.
CM: Martin Zubimendi
Martin Zubimendi
Martin Zubimendi has been a standout / Ion Alcoba Beitia/GettyImages
Club: Real Sociedad
You've seen Martin Zubimendi's name littered across transfer gossip columns for the best part of the last year, and if you've seen him play you'll know exactly why.
The Spain international is utterly outstanding, and is a metronomic presence in the heart of Sociedad's midfield.
CM: Isco
Francisco Roman Alarcon alias Isco
Back to his best / Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/GettyImages
Club: Real Betis
After years of barely kicking a football, and actually being unemployed for six months in 2023, Isco is finally back and playing as well as ever.
His 12 goal contributions across all competitions is proof of how good he's been for his new club Real Betis since rocking up as a free agent last summer.
AM: Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham
The best in La Liga / David Ramos/GettyImages
Club: Real Madrid
A lot was expected when Jude Bellingham rocked up to the Santiago Bernabeu in a move worth the equivalent of £114m. And even more was expected when he decided to take the number five jersey once famously worn by Zinedine Zidane.
With 20 goals to his name in all competitions, including a famous El Clasico winner, eight months on Bellingham has, somehow, exceeded said lofty expectations.
Bellingham might just be the best footballer in the world right now.
ST: Artem Dovbyk
Artem Dovbyk
Breakout star / Diego Souto/GettyImages
Club: Girona
Hands up if you knew who Artem Dovbyk was this time last year?
Put your hands down because you're all lying.
Having joined Girona from Dnipro 1 in the summer, not a lot was known about 26-year-old Dovbyk. After 14 goals in La Liga already this season - a tally only bettered by three players - the centre forward has been one of the most widely known and feared strikers in La Liga.
ST: Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann
Atleti's greatest ever player / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
Club: Atletico Madrid
Not many players can simultaneously be recognised as the best player in one club's history, and one of the worst in another's.
Antoine Griezmamn is one of those footballers.
Having endured a horrid spell at Barcelona, Griezmann returned to Atleti and instantly refound his best form. This season, despite having plenty of miles under his belter, the France star has been sublime in the final third, bagging 17 goal contributions in La Liga.
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La Liga
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