This week has seen the U17 World Cup in Qatar begin, and there have been plenty of noteworthy outings for Manchester United.
Scouts have been dispatched by Manchester United to look out for ‘tomorrow’s GOAT’ as branding around the Aspire pitches in Qatar has emphasised.
This has led to several talents catching the eye of United, including Argentina’s Felipe Esquivel and Brazil’s Dell.
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Along with prospective signings, United’s 2026 arrival, Cristian Orozco has been impressive for Colombia. Now, a youngster already at Carrington has had a standout performance for England.
Photo by Simon Holmes – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Bendito Mantato gets two assists for England
Following England’s 3-0 defeat to Venezuela on the opening match day of the tournament, the Three Lions needed to bounce back with a win against Haiti.
The U17s answered with a thumping 8-1 win over the Caribbean island nation, and involved in this huge defeat was Bendito Mantato.
The United Academy talent started at right back and was responsible for two assists in the big England win.
Mantato created two big chances and impressed defensively, looking very composed and no doubt winning a spot in the starting line-up after being on the bench for the first game
The 17-year-old is United’s only current player at the tournament, and he is certainly flying the flag well for the club, with Ruben Amorim surely watching.
Bendito Mantato could be Manchester United’s left wing-back solution
This season has seen Mantato used more and more as a left-back for United and also for England, which will be a massive benefit for him, as that is the current weakest point in Amorim’s side.
Mantato’s performances will be on Amorim’s radar, given the prestige of the tournament and the interest United have in players across several teams. So scouts will also be judging Mantato.
Left wing-back is a position United needs to fix, with plenty of debate currently around Diogo Dalot and fans wanting to see a change.
Well, more performances like this one for Mantato will only boost his chances of Amorim taking note and could even fire him into first-team contention in the coming months.
Next up for Mantato will be England vs group leaders Egypt, in which the Three Lions need to win.
