After a rollercoaster past three years at Manchester United, during which time he missed out on a place at Euro 2024, Harry Maguire has returned to the England squad with a World Cup place now looking like his for the taking
Harry Maguire is back bidding for a World Cup place
Harry Maguire is back bidding for a World Cup place(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
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Harry Maguire spent 40 minutes with his World Cup dreams up in the clouds.
Maguire revealed the rollercoaster of emotions after receiving a WhatsApp message from Thomas Tuchel just before Manchester United flew to Bournemouth last Thursday, the day before their Premier League clash. England boss Tuchel did a ring round of a few key players before naming them - or leaving them out - in the 35 man squad for the friendlies with Uruguay and Japan.
United defender Maguire insisted if he did not make this squad then his amazing England career would be over and yet it still ended with his mum crying down the phone. Maguire, 33, is so passionate about playing for England that he never gave up on his dream of going to this summer’s World Cup even during his international exile through his most difficult days at Old Trafford.
Maguire said: “When I received the text I was just about to take off, so I texted him back, saying ‘just about to take off to Bournemouth.’
“I was on the plane obviously thinking… that 40 minutes was a long flight to Bournemouth! I didn’t know if he was ringing me up and saying you’ve just missed out. I knew if I missed this camp I don’t think I would have been back in the England set-up.
“It felt a bit like my first call-up really. I’ve played 60-odd games for England, been to three major tournaments but when you’re in the moment and you’re playing every game for England… you don’t want to say you take it for granted but you get comfortable with the set-up.
“And then when it’s taken away from you all of a sudden, it hurts. You see the team doing so well in qualifying, they’ve done amazing so yeah it was an amazing feeling.
“My mum rang me up crying, bless her. She was in Spain on holidays with my nephew and she rang me up crying. I don’t know how many drinks she’d had!”
Harry Maguire of England warms up during a training session at St Georges Park
Harry Maguire of England warms up during a training session at St Georges Park(Image: 2026 The FA)
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Maguire was undoubtedly the best feel good story of this squad. The lionhearted England fan back in the set-up after 18 months away since his last cap. From the incredible ride to the World Cup semi finals in 2018 and the heartbreak of the Euros in 2021, the nation has taken Maguire to their hearts. He is living the dream.
He missed out on the Euros in 2024 as he ran out of time to prove his fitness. He has not played for England since September 2024. Even he admits he was beginning to think his time had gone.
“There was a point,” said Maguire when asked whether he thought he had played his last game for England. “Probably at the end of last season when I wasn’t picked in the summer camp.
“I’m in a position now in my career where it is not so much about myself, not so much about the individual. I am 33-years-old. I am just about the team now, helping the team move forward and to win something.
“If I play one minute at the World Cup or every game of the World Cup, I will still do everything I can to make sure this country is successful. I feel like that’s where I am at in my career, it is not about me, playing at the World Cup to try and say I am the best defender in the world.
“I want to be part of a group and I feel like I can still be a big part of a group on the pitch but also off the pitch.”
Maguire clearly still has to win his place. This is a two tier squad and arguably Ezri Konsa, John Stones and Marc Guehi are ahead of him. But there is probably an opening beyond that. However, Maguire’s confidence in his own ability has never dropped.
He added: “I have great belief in myself. I'm a top-level centre back. You don't play seven years at Manchester United, under the scrutiny that we're under, especially in a centre-back position where every goal that you concede is analysed, scrutinised, or play for England at three major tournaments, kicking every single ball, every minute of every game in those tournaments without having the belief that you deserve to be there.
“I feel like my form for Manchester United, probably for three years now, has been at a high level and whenever I've been available - it has been a little bit stop-start over the last two years with my injuries - I'm in a good rhythm now.
“When I have been available, I've been playing and starting for Manchester United. We all know I had a dip in form at Manchester United for six to nine months, one season probably. But since then, I feel like I played really, really well.”
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