Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo wants to help the club return to the top of English and European football, saying it is his dream to see United winning again.
He spoke to Prime Video Sport ahead of their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on 13 October. Mainoo said United’s history of winning is often discussed, and he wants the current team to live up to that standard.
Clarence Seedorf, the former Netherlands midfielder and four-time Champions League winner, interviewed Mainoo. This came after Rio Ferdinand once compared Mainoo to Seedorf in 2024 following the United midfielder's first Premier League goal against Wolves.
Mainoo Has Previously Spoken of His Trophy Ambitions
Mainoo made clear he has ambitions of helping United return back to its glory days. He told Seedorf during their interview:
"“Everyone talks about Manchester United in the past. I want to bring that to now and I want to win. I want to win a lot here. That’s my dream, for this club to be at the top again.”
Mainoo also spoke about his ambitions for United when he signed a new contract in April 2026. The deal runs until 2031, extending his previous contract, which was due to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season.
The Carrington academy graduate had made appearances for the club in all competitions by that point. In United’s announcement, Mainoo said he was “living my dream every single day” and wanted to help the club compete regularly for major trophies.
Days later, after scoring in a 3-2 home win over Liverpool that secured United’s place in the Champions League, he said he had dreamed of moments like that as a boy.
How Mainoo Became a Regular Under Michael Carrick
Mainoo started only one of Manchester United’s first 22 matches of the 2025-26 season: the Carabao Cup defeat on penalties to Grimsby Town in August. He struggled for regular starts under Ruben Amorim during that period.
That changed after Amorim left in January and Michael Carrick took charge. Up to the contract announcement, Mainoo played in 12 of United’s 13 league games under Carrick, missing only the defeat to Leeds United due to injury.
Among outfield players, only Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro played more minutes in that period. Mainoo played 1,065 minutes, won 15 tackles and provided two assists.
What the Atletico Madrid Match Involves
Manchester United face Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano on 13 October in the second round of the Champions League league phase. The match will be shown live on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland.
United began their campaign with a 4-0 win over Sabah on 10 September, while Atletico lost 2-1 away to Liverpool. The sides last met competitively in March 2022, when Atletico won 1-0 at Old Trafford in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
