Manchester United defender Harry Maguire put in an impressive shift on his first appearance for England in this month’s international friendly schedule.
The veteran centre-back was paired with ex-Chelsea academy graduate Fikayo Tomori at the heart of Thomas Tuchel’s experimental line-up.
Maguire helped England secure a 1-1 draw against Uruguay at Wembley Stadium – the same iconic venue that hosted the 2022 Finalissima, where world champions Argentina defeated European champions Italy.
The Three Lions missed out on the 2026 edition of the tournament after losing to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, but were offered a reprieve when the fixture was cancelled due to the ongoing political situation in the Middle East.
While England are heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the early favourites, their performance against Uruguay proved Tuchel still has work to do in preparation for the showpiece.
The Three Lions lacked ideas and creativity in the final third and failed to really trouble Fernando Muslera in the Uruguay goal.
Wembley spectators had to wait until the 81st minute for the breakthrough when Ben White poked home at the far post following a scramble in the box.
However, England failed to hang on to their slender lead as a controversial penalty call allowed Federico Valverde to rifle home an equaliser from 12 yards out, denying England a win in their first March international friendly.
How did Maguire perform against Uruguay?
Despite England’s stale performance at Wembley, Maguire gave a decent account of himself at the heart of the Three Lions backline.
The 33-year-old made four clearances and five recoveries, although he managed to win only one of his four contested duels.
He also recorded 88 touches and provided one key pass while maintaining a 94% pass accuracy (72/77) and completing four out of six long balls (67%).
Maguire’s long-awaited return to international football wasn’t a complete train wreck, although he may need to do more to further reclaim his spot in the England squad.
Maguire in United contract talks as Tuchel cast doubt on World Cup chances
Maguire’s performance against Uruguay was far from a vintage display, but it shouldn’t affect his chances of earning a new contract at United.
The former Leicester City powerhouse is in the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, sparking speculation about where he could end up this summer.
However, recent developments have bolstered his chances of remaining at the Theatre of Dreams, with United reportedly working on a new deal.
United interim head coach Michael Carrick has already told the club hierarchy that he hopes to see Maguire sign a new contract before the end of the season.
Having stepped up in the absence of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, United reckon it’ll be silly to cut him loose at the moment.
However, while they ponder a new deal for Maguire, the defender’s England head coach has poured cold water on his chances of representing the Three Lions at the World Cup.
Tuchel made headlines when he claimed there are about six defenders ahead of Maguire in the national team, including injured Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah.
Despite wearing the captain’s armband in the second half of the draw against Uruguay and proving he can be a useful voice in the locker room, Tuchel seems to have his eye on several other players.
“I see other players ahead of Harry [Maguire],” Tuchel said. “I see Ezri Konsa ahead. I see Marc Guehi ahead. It’s no secret. I see Trevoh Chalobah on a level of mobility slightly ahead of him.
“Harry can also be super important in a tournament, in knockout football, in defending a lead and chasing a game with crosses, long throw-ins and set-pieces.
“If I have to name it tomorrow, we have a lot of injuries, he could be in it.”
Maguire has won 65 caps for England and played in three major tournaments, but has his work cut out in convincing Tuchel he’s worth keeping in the squad.