Thomas Tuchel Parkir Kobbie Mainoo Jelang Semifinal Piala Dunia 2026

Gelandang Manchester United Kobbie Mainoo belum mendapatkan kesempatan bermain semenit pun bersama tim nasional Inggris di Piala Dunia 2026 menjelang laga semifinal melawan Argentina pada Rabu malam.

Keputusan manajer Inggris Thomas Tuchel ini memicu perdebatan hangat karena Mainoo menjadi satu-satunya gelandang murni yang sama sekali belum diturunkan sepanjang turnamen di Amerika Serikat dan Meksiko tersebut.

Tuchel tercatat telah menggunakan 20 dari 23 pemain outfield miliknya selama enam pertandingan, termasuk gelandang veteran Jordan Henderson dan bek kanan Reece James yang dipaksakan bermain di lini tengah.

Situasi ini mengundang perhatian mantan striker Inggris Michael Owen yang menilai bahwa pahlawan tidak terduga masih bisa muncul di sisa turnamen layaknya kisah Geoff Hurst pada Piala Dunia 1966.

"I do a little bit, because I think he's definitely got the ability to play a role in the World Cup. And who knows? Things change, you get unlikely heroes." ujar Michael Owen, Duta Besar Inggris untuk Casino.org.

Owen menambahkan bahwa momen terbaik Inggris di Piala Dunia seringkali menghadirkan kejutan besar dari pemain yang tidak diunggulkan sebelumnya.

"Our greatest moment ever in this country, winning the World Cup, who would have thought Geoff Hurst would have been playing? Jimmy Greaves was the best thing since sliced bread. My dad just raves about Jimmy Greaves.

When anyone's talking about the best England XI and things like that, my dad's like, ‘Jimmy Greaves’ straight away. He was insanely good. Now, things happen, and all of a sudden, Geoff Hurst plays, and look what happens." lanjut Michael Owen.

Menurut Owen, perjalanan Inggris sejauh ini berjalan sesuai ekspektasi meski laga sesungguhnya baru akan dimulai saat menghadapi Argentina.

"There will be, or there could be, a surprise. And it could be Mainoo, you can't switch off. Really, what we've done so far, if we had been knocked out, there would have been a huge inquest. I mean, nobody should be really in our league." kata Michael Owen.

Owen menilai timnas Inggris seharusnya mampu mengalahkan tim-tim seperti Meksiko dan Norwegia yang mereka hadapi di fase sebelumnya.

"We've built it up as if Mexico was the hardest game of all time, but come on. Norway, if we played Norway at a neutral ground, let's say we play Norway in Spain tomorrow, people would expect us to beat them two or 3-0. So when you look back, we should be beating every single team." jelas Michael Owen.

Pertandingan semifinal melawan Argentina diprediksi Owen akan menjadi tantangan berat yang membutuhkan kontribusi dari banyak pemain.

"This [Argentina] is now the first game, this is a proper game, this is one that is a toss of a coin, this is one that's going to challenge us. But everything so far has been what you would expect from England, surely." ucap Michael Owen.

Owen menutup pandangannya dengan menyatakan bahwa Mainoo masih memiliki peluang untuk menjadi sosok penentu bagi skuad Tiga Singa.

"We will see, but if we're going to win it, there are going to be so many twists and turns and so many heroes that we won't even be thinking at the moment. And Mainoo could be one of them." pungkas Michael Owen.

Di sisi lain, mantan pemain Manchester United Paul Scholes justru berharap Mainoo tidak diturunkan dalam laga krusial ini karena dikhawatirkan belum siap secara kompetitif.

"It seems like it’s anybody but Kobbie Mainoo for Thomas Tuchel," ujar Paul Scholes dalam siniar The Good, The Bad & The Football.

Scholes menambahkan bahwa situasi di mana sang pemain terus berada di bangku cadangan bisa memengaruhi kondisi mentalnya.

"Only Tuchel will know why. I can’t imagine Kobbie being a problem in the camp. Every manager has their favourites." sambung Paul Scholes.

Legenda United lainnya, Nicky Butt, menyuarakan kekhawatiran serupa mengenai kebugaran bertanding sang gelandang muda.

"I actually hope Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t come on now because he’s probably so down, he’s not played and he’s not kicked a football in a real game. He’s been training, obviously, but if he goes in now the only thing he can do is bad." harap Paul Scholes.

Sementara itu, mantan gelandang United Nicky Butt juga meragukan kesiapan Mainoo untuk tampil di laga dengan tensi tinggi seperti semifinal Piala Dunia.

“It seems like it’s anybody but Kobbie Mainoo for Thomas Tuchel at the minute,” kata Nicky Butt.

Butt menyoroti keputusan Tuchel yang lebih memilih memainkan Reece James yang baru pulih dari cedera hamstring.

“He’s bringing Reece James on who hasn’t played for three weeks because of a hamstring injury. Only Tuchel will know why, I can’t imagine Kobbie being a problem in the camp.” tutur Nicky Butt.

Butt kembali menegaskan pandangannya agar Mainoo tidak dipaksakan tampil di sisa turnamen.

“But every manager has their favourites, of course they do.” tambah Nicky Butt.

Butt melanjutkan analisisnya mengenai dampak buruk jika Mainoo langsung dimainkan di babak semifinal tanpa menit bermain sebelumnya.

“Do you know something? I actually hope Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t come on now.” lanjut Nicky Butt.

Menurut Butt, tekanan yang sangat besar di semifinal bisa berisiko merusak kepercayaan diri Mainoo jika performanya tidak maksimal.

“Because he’s probably so down, he’s not played and he’s not kicked a football in a real game. He’s been training, obviously, but if he goes in now, the only thing he can do is bad.” papar Nicky Butt.

Butt menutup argumennya dengan menyatakan bahwa tidak bermain di Piala Dunia adalah hal yang biasa terjadi pada pemain muda.

“He’s not going to be at the level to go and play at that level in a semi-final. I hope he doesn’t come on.” ujar Nicky Butt.

Butt menekankan bahwa fokus utama saat ini adalah memastikan kemenangan tim nasional Inggris tanpa harus memaksakan eksperimen baru.

“It’s anybody but Kobbie for Tuchel. He won’t be the first one to go to a World Cup and not play a minute, there’s a few players who have done that.” tutup Nicky Butt.

Namun, mantan bek Stephen Warnock memiliki pandangan berbeda dan menilai bahwa kemampuan operan Mainoo sangat dibutuhkan untuk meredam permainan Argentina.

“In midfield against Argentina, it will be Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham, then I think Thomas Tuchel will go with Declan Rice,” kata Stephen Warnock kepada betTOM.

Warnock menyarankan agar Tuchel berani melakukan perubahan di lini tengah dengan memainkan pemain yang lebih progresif.

“However, just given the way Rice has played so far – and I’ll get a lot of criticism for this – I think he’s got to be a lot more progressive with his passing through the lines.” sambung Stephen Warnock.

Warnock menilai karakteristik permainan Mainoo akan memberikan kestabilan yang lebih baik bagi Inggris di laga besar.

“I would personally prefer to see Kobbie Mainoo in there. He’s a different type of player, who can also play on the edge in a big game. I’d like to see him start, but I think Tuchel will stick with Rice.” urai Stephen Warnock.

Meski tidak bermain di Piala Dunia, Mainoo sempat merefleksikan perjalanannya yang bangkit di bawah arahan Michael Carrick di Manchester United.

“I mean, obviously there were difficult times. But I tried to keep my focus on what was in front of me, take things day by day and just keep working my craft, keep working hard for the team, and I hoped the rest would come. Thankfully it has.” kenang Kobbie Mainoo saat diwawancarai wartawan Inggris di Amerika Serikat.

Mainoo secara terbuka juga menyampaikan rasa terima kasihnya kepada manajer interim United tersebut.

“Definitely, and I told him that I was very grateful. Because if he hadn't put me on the pitch, then I wouldn't have been here so, I'm always grateful to him for that.” tutup Kobbie Mainoo.

Inggris dijadwalkan menghadapi Argentina di babak semifinal Piala Dunia 2026 demi merebut tiket ke babak final untuk pertama kalinya sejak tahun 1966.