Ahead of Manchester United's Champions League match against Atlético Madrid this week, Seedorf visited the Carrington training base and interviewed Mainoo for Amazon Prime Video. In the second part of their conversation (which was divided into three parts due to its length), the two discussed their respective views on football.

Have you always paid close attention to your physical condition? Actively building up your fitness and preventing injuries?

Yes.

What do you usually do?

Since I was young, my father always pushed me. When I played too much PlayStation, he would tell me to find something else to do.

By the way, I greatly admire your father; he's incredible.

He always wanted me to stay busy and keep improving. If other kids were doing extra training, I had to keep up. If they went for additional training, I would go with them in the car. I always wanted to get stronger, and my father deeply instilled that belief in me.

I see that in my father too; he always emphasizes self-discipline. But I also understand that if you're not willing to listen, none of it matters.

Exactly.

So why were you willing to accept that advice back then? Many young people our age just want to relax and go to nightclubs, but you chose not to. What motivated you?

I just wanted to keep improving my skills. I always wanted to get stronger, doing extra training after school, two sessions a day. I wasn't always happy about it, but both my father and I knew it was what I had to do. I tend to talk a lot, but to get stronger, I'm willing to endure these hardships.

Was it your father's urging, or did you intrinsically believe this path was the right one?

It was both. My father pushed me forward, but I also knew in my heart that it was the right choice. If other players weren't willing to put in the hard work, I'd seize the opportunity to continuously improve myself.

As a midfielder, what do you demand of yourself? When I played, especially in big matches, I would first read the situation on the field. In the first 10 minutes, I'd look for open spaces. When I watch your games, I really appreciate one thing: you instinctively do what the team needs most in that moment. As a midfielder, is reading the game situation something you consciously do?

Absolutely, it's completely conscious.

Besides scanning before receiving the ball, you also need to assess where the team needs you most that day.

Exactly. There are many analytical meetings before the game, and we get a lot of information about the opponents. But the real test begins once the match starts. When I receive the ball here, I observe the opponent's pressing distance, how much space I have to turn. If the opponent presses tightly, can I play a one-touch pass? If they don't press, I turn and organize the play. I need to quickly pick up on these details, read the game, and break down the opponent.

You put it well: no matter how much pre-game information there is, it's not real until the match starts.

Tactics seem so simple on screen, but it's completely different on the field.

Yes, you have to read the game in real-time. What does your family's support mean to you?

It means a lot to me. In a player's career, many people will give you all sorts of advice, pulling you in different directions. But my family has been with me every step of the way, genuinely looking out for my best interests.

Yes.

Trusting them and believing their advice will guide me in the right direction is crucial for me.

That speaks volumes about your character. Many young people have good advice around them, but not everyone is willing to listen and act on it. Even if the advice isn't perfect, as long as the intention is good, it's worth considering. I also remember the period when I was playing important matches. I made my league debut for Ajax at 16, and a week later, I also made my national team debut as a right-back. At that moment, it felt like: wow, I'm here. My professional career had truly begun. I didn't fully realize how special that experience was at the time; it was only later that I understood how rare it was to get such opportunities at a young age. You're 21 now, right?

Yes.

Okay, let's not focus on age. Let's tone it down a bit (laughs). From your debut to that unforgettable Champions League moment and now, how do you evaluate yourself today? I want to hear your feelings, what was that experience like?

It feels like a long time ago, but it's only been a few years—yet so much has happened, it feels like another lifetime.

You've played so many games (laughs).

Yes, I've experienced a lot. We're in the Champions League now, and there's still room for improvement in the league. We will definitely get better. Stepping onto the Old Trafford pitch and hearing the Champions League anthem, that feeling is very special. In my first season, at 18, my first taste of the Champions League was coming on as a substitute against Bayern and Galatasaray. The team was knocked out then, and I thought to myself, I must return to this stage again. It's truly great to be back in the Champions League.

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