World Cup: ‘Refuse to Play’- Butt tells Mainoo to snub France over Tuchel’s treatment

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has advised Kobbie Mainoo to decline participation in England’s World Cup third-place match against France on Saturday.

Mainoo concluded the latter half of the previous season as one of Manchester United’s key players under Michael Carrick, which led to his selection in Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup.

Nevertheless, the 21-year-old has yet to see any playing time during England’s World Cup journey, remaining on the bench for all seven matches played by the Three Lions thus far.

Tuchel is anticipated to implement several alterations to his starting lineup for the match against France, scheduled to commence at 10pm BST on Saturday, and Mainoo is poised to receive his first opportunity to play in the tournament.

However, Butt firmly believes that Mainoo should decline the chance to compete against France, given that he has been consistently overlooked by Tuchel this summer.

‘I am uncertain about the situation; something seems amiss,’ Butt remarked.

‘Now they are set to field the reserve squad in this meaningless third-place match.

‘I would simply refuse to play if I were Kobbie Mainoo. I would claim to be injured.

‘It is a ridiculous match, particularly when one has been treated in such a manner.

‘He has not played a single minute of football, and now to participate in this trivial, inflated friendly and risk injury for the entire season… absolutely not.