Harry Maguire has lifted the lid on the conversation that ended his hopes of a third World Cup appearance, and it made for uncomfortable listening.
The Manchester United defender was among the most debated names left out of Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man England squad for the tournament in North America. Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, Dan Burn and John Stones were all chosen ahead of him at the heart of the defense.
It marked a sharp fall for a player who started at both the 2018 and 2022 tournament under Gareth Southgate and has earned 66 caps. Now 33, Maguire has spoken candidly about how the news was delivered — and what it might mean for his future.
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Harry Maguire opens up on the ‘awkward’ Thomas Tuchel call
Maguire’s account, given on The Rest Is Football, painted the moment as anything but easy. He started with how the England manager breaks the news to his players.
He said: “Tuchel FaceTimes everyone. It’s quite an awkward call.”
“I received a text around nine, ten in the morning saying can I speak to you today at 4pm. It is quite a unique way to do it. It makes it harder for him to see our reactions.”
When the call finally arrived, the reasoning was direct.
Maguire continued: “He said he can’t really give me an excuse but he said he had gone with the four lads who got him through the qualifying in the autumn camps.”
“It was tough to take. I did think I was going to be in the squad after being selected for the March camp for the first time under him. I felt like I did really well in both of the games and then went back to Manchester United and finished the season really, really strongly.
“I was shocked. We had a few words. It was an honest conversation between us both.”
That candor carried over into public view, with a public statement that surprised Tuchel once the squad was confirmed.
His bigger fear, though, is what the omission means for his international career.
He explained: “I was really disappointed, I wanted to go to the World Cup and play. I’m 33 now and 37 at the next World Cup, it looks far away.”
“I told the manager I wasn’t demanding to go and start the games. I’d have been happy to play one minute as long as I was there with the lads.”
Despite the setback, retirement is not on his mind.
Maguire said: “I don’t think I would retire from England. I still feel I have something to offer. There will be a time and a place where I don’t deserve to get picked but I probably still wouldn’t come out and retire. If I got one more cap it would be worth it.”
With 66 caps behind him and an appetite for more, Maguire’s England story may not be over — even if his World Cup hopes are.
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