Harry Maguire confirmed on Thursday that he has been left out of England’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with manager Thomas Tuchel opting for a different defensive setup ahead of the tournament.
The 33-year-old Manchester United centre-back reacted to the decision in a social media statement, admitting he was struggling to come to terms with the omission after what he described as one of his strongest seasons in recent years.
“I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had. I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I wish the players all the best,” Maguire wrote.
Tuchel had earlier indicated that Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and John Stones were ahead of Maguire in England’s defensive hierarchy, with the German coach favouring quicker and more mobile centre-backs in his system.
The decision caps a difficult international period for Maguire despite a significant turnaround at club level. After falling down the pecking order under former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, Maguire rebuilt his place in the side during the second half of the 2025–26 campaign.
Under Michael Carrick, the defender became a regular starter again and played a key role in stabilising United’s injury-hit backline as the club secured a third-place Premier League finish. He started 14 of United’s final 16 league matches and was rewarded with a contract extension until 2027 earlier this year.
Maguire has been one of England’s most prominent defenders of the last decade. Since making his senior debut in 2017, he has earned 66 caps and scored seven international goals, the most by a defender in England men’s national team history.
He was central to England’s run to the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and was later named in the UEFA Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament after helping England reach the final.
This will now be the second successive major international tournament Maguire misses after injury ruled him out of Euro 2024.
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