Why Mainoo has 'wow factor' - and could be one the greats

Sometimes kids travel on and you only request 1 look astatine them to realise they've sewage it - that typical thing wherever you cognize they beryllium astatine nan highest level.

Kobbie Mainoo is 1 of those kids.

It was backmost successful February, aft he had scored his first Premier League extremity for Manchester United, that I said he reminded maine of legendary Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf.

When I said Kobbie gave maine 'Seedorf vibes', I wasn't talking astir his ability, I conscionable meant style-wise, successful position of his movement.

I said to Clarence astir him present successful Germany nan different time and he said he decidedly sees it too.

The point astir Kobbie, though, is he seems to get amended each clip you watch him play. As good arsenic his movement, there's his decision-making and nan gait of his passing, positive nan measurement he ever seems to beryllium successful power and nan measurement he handles everything that is thrown astatine him contempt only being 19.

The champion portion of his game, though, is that he is prepared to wait. Let maine effort to explicate what I mean.

When you're a young kid, playing astatine nan level Kobbie is, you sometimes effort to beryllium why you are there. I cognize from my ain acquisition that you consciousness you ever person to show what you tin do, and you tin extremity up trying excessively hard.

Kobbie's not for illustration that, though. He won't effort to push it and over-play.

I've watched him intimately and nan first 30% of passes of nan shot he gets successful a game, successful those opening minutes, he is happy conscionable playing nan shot short, 5 aliases 10 yards, waiting for nan correct infinitesimal for his earthy natural expertise to travel out.

Then, erstwhile nan infinitesimal comes – and he knows precisely erstwhile – he tin springiness you that small spot of 'wow' facet wherever he draws personification out, breaks nan property aliases erstwhile nan guidance deliberation they are going to nick nan shot disconnected him. Those times erstwhile they person sewage him down a unsighted alley but he someway conscionable comes retired nan extremity anyhow and you are near going 'oh my god'.

What he is doing is simply a portion of nan crippled – and I heard Gareth Southgate opportunity this too, by nan measurement – that he makes look very easy, but is really 1 of nan astir difficult things.

Ask immoderate midfielder what it is for illustration to person nan shot from your defence pinch your backmost to play, not knowing what is down you and pinch group pressing you from down from different angles, but being capable to consciousness wherever they are and still get out.

It took Gareth a small while to realise Kobbie is nan correct man to partner Declan Rice successful England's midfield.

First he tried Trent Alexander-Arnold astatine these Euros, past it was Conor Gallagher. But Gareth knows now, and truthful does everyone else. You cannot time off Kobbie out.

I said that consecutive distant aft I watched america hit Slovakia successful nan past 16, which was nan first competitory world Kobbie had started.

I thought location was nary measurement Gareth could person watched that crippled and thought 'oh, we still request to research successful midfield'. The kid showed he is nan existent deal, truthful that's it. He has to play.

Kobbie's property and deficiency of acquisition is almost irrelevant. He already plays measurement beyond his years. He knows he belongs astatine this level and it is for illustration thing fazes him astatine all.

On Sunday, he is going to beryllium playing successful a European Championship last arsenic a teen but location is nary measurement nan size of nan juncture is going to intimidate him.

We saw that astatine nan FA Cup final, not conscionable pinch his man-of-the-match capacity but besides his celebration, aliases deficiency of it, aft helping Manchester United hit Manchester City astatine Wembley. A batch of different players his property would beryllium a spot over-exuberant maybe, but he is conscionable truthful level-headed and calm.

Part of that is down to his background. I spent a spot of clip pinch his family earlier successful nan tournament, and aft nan semi-final triumph complete nan Netherlands too.

They were enjoying themselves and having a bully time, soaking it each up nan aforesaid measurement I expect Kobbie is, but without going crazy aliases getting carried away. They are each really lovely, balanced, grounded, well-rounded people, which is why he is nan aforesaid and appears to beryllium unaffected by fame.

Kobbie is already an unthinkable player. When this tourney is over, hopefully he will person helped England go champions of Europe.

But whether we hit Spain successful Sunday's last aliases not, I dream he embraces this infinitesimal and enjoys it… but past starts reasoning 'what tin I adhd now?'

You get immoderate kids who get connected nan segment and make a immense scatter but immoderate of that occurrence is down to them being a surprise. No-one knows who they are, but that only lasts truthful agelong erstwhile you are connected nan biggest stage.

Kobbie has had an astonishing fewer months, from making his first Premier League commencement successful November, to playing successful specified immense games for England astatine this tournament. But this is only nan commencement for him, truthful really tin he heighten his game?

That’s what each nan very champion players did, including Seedorf himself. He told maine he taught himself really to person a near ft because he knew it would make a difference, thing that meant he could spell some ways and go much of a threat.

So tin Kobbie unfastened his crippled up truthful he tin play much passes complete 20 yards, truthful he tin prime up nan shot from nan full-backs and ping them guardant for illustration Paul Scholes utilized to?

Are we going to spot him get much shots disconnected adjacent season, aliases return a fewer much risks pinch his passes?

I americium not saying that these are nan things that he has to do, but I want to spot him proceed to develop.

There are elements Kobbie could adhd that could move him from being a very bully subordinate to being 1 of nan greats – that Seedorf level, basically. That's what he should beryllium aiming for.

Rio Ferdinand was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan successful Berlin.