Roy Keane praised England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo’s precocious talent, saying the teenager is “doing stuff that probably took me 10 years to learn.”

Mainoo was barely on the radar for England’s Euro 2024 squad six months ago, but the Manchester United teenager has quickly become the only name on any England fan or pundit’s lips heading into Sunday’s last-16 match against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen.

Last season, the teenager made headlines with his excellent performances for Erik ten Hag’s United, helping the Red Devils win the FA Cup final over Premier League champions and local rivals Manchester City.

Mainoo’s achievements earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England team for the summer’s showcase event, and he became a source of potential salvation for the Three Lions’ midfield, providing a rare bright spot in an otherwise disappointing group stage performance.

In the second half against Slovenia, Mainoo formed a midfield three with Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham and looked like one of his country’s more impressive performances in the drab stalemate. And, ahead of England’s last-16 meeting on Sunday, United midfielder Keane heaped admiration on the youthful talent.

“You see the stuff he is doing, I played in that position, but he’s doing stuff that probably took me 10 years to learn,” he told ITV. “He’s obviously had a great foundation at Man United and he’s getting into good habits but we’ve seen in these big games – and when you’re playing for Man United, every game is a big game for Man United, so he’ll cope with all that.”

Roy Keane was full of praise for Kobbie Mainoo ( Image: The FA via Getty Images)

Southgate originally experimented with Liverpool’s right back Trent Alexander-Arnold played alongside Declan Rice in the heart of the ground, while Bellingham played further forward, with erratic results. Alexander-Arnold was removed from his position and replaced by Conor Gallagher for England’s final group stage match against Slovenia.

However, Gallagher failed to give the necessary steadiness and coherence beside Rice, and Mainoo was called upon in the second half.

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And the 19-year-old pleased Southgate with his energetic and mature performance that he named the United star to his starting lineup for Sunday. Mainoo became the third-youngest player to start for England in a knockout match, after Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.