Harry Maguire has revealed details of the difficult conversation in which England manager Thomas Tuchel informed him that he would not be part of the Three Lions squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Manchester United defender admitted he was left “shocked and gutted” after learning he had been overlooked for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico despite believing he had done enough to earn selection.
Speaking on Gary Lineker’s The Rest is Football podcast, Maguire described the FaceTime call from Tuchel as “awkward”, explaining that the England boss personally contacted players to deliver the news.
“I received a text asking if we could speak at 4pm,” Maguire said. “It’s a unique way of doing it, but it must be difficult because he can see your reaction straight away.”
According to Maguire, Tuchel explained that he had chosen to remain loyal to the defenders who guided England through qualification but was unable to provide a more specific reason for the omission.
“I told him I was really disappointed,” Maguire said. “I felt I’d done enough to be in the squad and could have contributed both on and off the pitch.”
The 33-year-old had been encouraged after featuring in Tuchel’s first England camp in March and believed his strong finish to the domestic season had strengthened his case.
Maguire’s exclusion sparked criticism, with his mother publicly expressing her frustration, while Tuchel later admitted he was surprised by the defender’s reaction.
The former Leicester City captain was one of several high-profile absentees from England’s squad, alongside Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
Despite his disappointment, Maguire insisted his desire was simply to be part of the group.
“I wasn’t demanding to start matches,” he said. “I would have been happy to play one minute as long as I was there with the lads.”
England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday.
