Rio Ferdinand heaps praise on Kobbie Mainoo's first-half display in England's clash against Switzerland - as he claims midfielder looked like 'a prefect with the young kids at school'

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Rio Ferdinand was among the pundits heaping praise on Kobbie Mainoo after his impressive first-half display against Switzerland. 

The Man United youngster was a standout performer in the first 45 minutes in Dusseldorf, despite both sides heading into the break without a goal.

Mainoo's presence in midfield was certainly felt as he completed 100 per cent of his attempted passes and 100 per cent of his attempted tackles.

And, at half-time, BBC One's pundits were quick to shower praise on the 19-year-old.

Ferdinand said: 'He just doesn't look like a teenager. He almost looks like a prefect with the young kids in a school and he's just saying, he's saying 'this is what you do, this is how you do it. Just give the ball to me and I'll, I'll lend it here and there.'

Kobbie Mainoo was one of England's stand-out performers in the first-half against Switzerland

BBC's pundits Gary Lineker, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Micah Richards (L-R) were quick to praise the Manchester United youngster 

'He plays with a maturity way beyond these years. He makes the right decisions more often than not. It's just his cool and calmness. 

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'What I've loved is how he's dovetailed and rotated with Phil Foden. At times he's a number 10, then he comes back into the 6 or the 8, and he's so comfortable in either of those positions. I've just loved the relationship he seems to have built in his first 45 with Phil Foden.'

Meanwhile, Ferdinand's co-pundit Gary Lineker agreed and said: 'We've seen terrific performance in the first half, obviously you can mention Saka, Bellingham's been all over the place... but Kobbie Mainoo, I mean, really?

'He turned 19 two months ago. Second youngest player to play in a quarter-final for England. The other one was Wayne Rooney.'

Former England midfielder Frank Lampard then said: 'We spoke before the game about England looking a little bit rigid, a little bit positional, and that's the main thing for me. 

'The system gives them their balance, but within that, good players, even though he just turned 19, know to work off other good players. 

Mainoo was imperious in the heart of midfield for the Three Lions on Saturday afternoon

'And now you're seeing him and Phil Foden, particularly in that half, and they go, 'OK, Phil, you're dropping deep, OK, I'll go and stand behind the midfield'.' 

Mainoo became the third-youngest player to start for the England men's team at the knockout stage of a major tournament when they beat Slovakia