Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was asked for his 5-a-side team on Lions’ Den on Thursday afternoon – picking Manchester City’s John Stones, Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo, even after his United exit.
Maguire, 29, has made an excellent start to England’s World Cup campaign. Starting all three games, he has been crucial in England finishing top of Group B with seven points from nine. That is, despite his lack of game time at United.
The Old Trafford skipper will be resting and preparing to start again for England on Sunday. It will be his 52nd cap, and you would hardly back against him to score an eighth goal for the Three Lions. They take on Senegal in the last 16.
Josh Denzel presented Lions’ Den once again from the Al-Wakrah base, and Maguire was asked by a fan to pick a 5-a-side of players he has played against. He picked England skipper Kane, centre-back partner Stones – and, Ronaldo.
“I’d go with Stonesy at the back. He’s good at 5-a-side. I’d go with Harry Kane up top, in 5-a-side he’s just the top goalscorer every time. I’d put Cristiano Ronaldo in there, them two in there you’ve won the game already.
“I’d probably have three defenders with them two! I’d put myself in there, and then a midfielder – Declan Rice. He protects everything. We’d just let Ronny and H go and score the goals,” Maguire told Lions’ Den, on YouTube.
Maguire picks Stones, Kane and Ronaldo in 5-a-side team
Rice, and himself, too. Of course, when Maguire returns to Manchester United duties, he will no longer be playing alongside Ronaldo – who has become a free agent and is widely believed to be about to move to Saudi Arabia.
Maguire – alongside Kane, Rice and Stones – will be expected to beat Senegal on Sunday. Aliou Cisse’s side are without Sadio Mane. It will be a tough test, arguably England’s toughest so far. Then, it is likely to be France in the quarters.
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