‘There’s an Opportunity’ – Mason Mount Opens Up on England World Cup Squad Hopes as Man Utd Midfielder Enjoys Resurgence Under Ruben Amorim

Mason Mount believes there’s an opportunity to force his way back into England World Cup thinking as his Manchester United career finally gathers momentum under Ruben Amorim

For the first time in what feels like a long while, Mason Mount is talking about football with a sense of calm optimism rather than quiet frustration. There is no forced bravado, no desperate need to convince anyone. Just a steady belief that, after everything he’s been through, there’s an opportunity again — at club level, and maybe, just maybe, with England.

At 26 years old, Mount should be entering his prime. Instead, the last couple of seasons have felt like a holding pattern. Injuries, stop-start form, and the emotional weight of leaving Chelsea — the club that shaped him — all combined to stall his progress just as he was meant to be pushing on.

Now, under Ruben Amorim, there are signs that something has shifted. Mount has started Manchester United’s last three matches, and with Newcastle United heading to Old Trafford on Boxing Day, he stands on the brink of making it four. That may not sound groundbreaking, but for Mount, continuity has become currency.

From setbacks to renewed belief at Manchester United

Mount’s journey at United has been anything but smooth. Since arriving with expectation and a hefty transfer fee attached, he has rarely been able to string together the kind of run that builds confidence and rhythm. Every time momentum threatened to appear, something — usually his body — pulled the handbrake.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Mount reflected on the long road back, framing his struggles as part of a wider learning curve that began long before Old Trafford came into view.

“As a kid, it’s always about making it into the first team,” he said. “I was very lucky in my younger years. I played in good teams, we won a lot. Then as you get older, you realise there will be ups and downs. Losing big games, losing finals — those are the downs you have to learn from and overcome.”

That perspective matters. Mount isn’t someone discovering adversity for the first time, but elite football has a way of magnifying setbacks. At United, each injury felt louder, each absence more scrutinised.

The Manchester derby moment that summed it all up

If there is one image that captures Mount’s United struggles, it came during a Manchester derby just over a year ago. Given a start by newly appointed head coach Ruben Amorim against Manchester City, Mount’s chance to make a statement lasted 12 minutes.

Another injury. Another slow walk off the pitch. Another reset.

“It was very tough,” Mount admitted. “The manager had just come in. I was getting into the team. When I felt it, I knew it wasn’t going to be a good one. It takes a couple of days to get your head around it.”

For a player desperate to show reliability, that moment cut deep. Yet Mount’s response was telling. No self-pity, no dwelling.

“After that, it was just: focus. What can I do to get back as quick as possible and in the best shape I can be?”

Why Ruben Amorim matters to Mount’s resurgence

Mason Mount preparing Chelsea fans farewell as Manchester United plot summer transfer | The Standard

Amorim’s arrival has been quietly significant for Mount. The Portuguese coach values structure, intensity, and players who think the game quickly. Mount fits that profile when fit — intelligent in his movement, disciplined without the ball, and selfless in his work.

Even when United have struggled for results, Mount’s contribution has stood out in subtle ways. Former captain Gary Neville noted during the recent 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa that United simply look more balanced with Mount on the pitch.

That assessment isn’t built on goals or assists alone.

“There’s a lot people don’t see,” Mount explained. “Bringing energy, starting the press, pressing the goalkeeper even when it’s not fully on — that sets triggers for the rest of the lads.”

In Amorim’s system, those details matter. Mount has been deployed slightly higher up the pitch, closer to where he played some of his best football at Chelsea, yet still trusted to drop in and help when United are under pressure.

“I can go forward, get into the box,” he said. “But when we don’t have the ball, I’ll drop in and help the lads in midfield.”

A player shaped by difficult seasons

Perhaps the most interesting part of Mount’s reflection is his belief that his best football may still be ahead of him — not behind.

“I think I’m getting close to really getting back to that level,” he said. “With all the experiences I’ve been through, I actually think my best level can be higher than before.”

That’s not an empty claim. Mount has played in Champions League finals, won major trophies, been a central figure for England at tournaments, and then experienced what it feels like to be sidelined, questioned, and overlooked.

Those experiences tend to harden players — or break them.

“For the last couple of years, it’s been difficult to even get close to that level,” he admitted. “But now I’ve had a really good pre-season, a lot of games, a lot of minutes in the legs. I feel like I’m getting close.”

England World Cup squad hopes begin to resurface

As Mount’s club form improves, it’s impossible to ignore the international angle. A place in England’s 2026 World Cup squad once felt automatic for him. Now, it’s something he has to earn all over again.

Mount is realistic about that.

“I always say it starts with the club,” he said. “If you’re performing at the club, then there’s an opportunity to get into the squad.”

The word opportunity comes up again — deliberately. There’s no entitlement here, just quiet ambition.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel knows Mount better than most. It was Tuchel who trusted him repeatedly at Chelsea, including in the 2021 Champions League final, where Mount assisted the winning goal. That relationship doesn’t guarantee anything, but familiarity can help when decisions are tight.

“Obviously, I know Thomas. I know what he’s all about,” Mount said. “I’ll be doing everything I can to get into that squad.”

Why Mount still offers something different for England

England are not short of midfield talent. Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Phil Foden, and others dominate the conversation. Mount’s challenge is to remind people what he brings that others don’t.

He presses intelligently. He links lines. He understands space. He sacrifices himself for the system.

Those qualities don’t always trend on social media, but managers value them deeply — especially in tournament football.

If Mount can maintain fitness and form under Amorim, the narrative around him could shift quicker than many expect.

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Newcastle next as another small step forward

United’s Boxing Day clash with Newcastle United represents another quiet test. Eddie Howe’s side are in strong form, having lost just once in their last seven matches across all competitions. It’s not a forgiving fixture, but it’s exactly the kind of game Mount needs.

Another start. Another 90 minutes. Another chance to build trust.

There’s no dramatic comeback story yet. No headlines declaring Mason Mount “back”. But sometimes resurgence doesn’t arrive with noise. Sometimes it arrives through repetition, resilience, and patience.

For Mount, that’s enough for now.

Because after everything — the injuries, the doubts, the long road back — there’s an opportunity again. And for a player who has waited so long to feel that, it means more than words can really explain.