Harry Maguire says he is “shocked and gutted” after being left out of England’s World Cup squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, ahead of Thomas Tuchel confirming his roster on Friday.
MANCHESTER, England — Harry Maguire only needed a few lines to make it hurt.
On Thursday, the Manchester United defender confirmed through a social media post that he has been left out of England’s squad for this year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The 33-year-old centre back wrote that he is “shocked and gutted” by the decision.
His message arrives with the squad still to be finalized. Thomas Tuchel is set to confirm England’s World Cup roster on Friday, but for Maguire, the outcome has already landed.
“I was confident I could’ve played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had,” Maguire said. “I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I wish the players all the best.”
Maguire’s England record speaks to why the cut feels so sharp. He helped England reach the World Cup semifinals in 2018 and the final of the 2020 European Championship. He was also part of the England team that reached the quarterfinals of the last World Cup in Qatar.
His international path was not uninterrupted. Injury ruled him out of Euro 2024, and his most recent England appearance came in the team’s 1-0 loss to Japan in March. Across his international career, he has made 66 appearances for England and scored seven goals, with his debut arriving in 2017.
The timing of this decision also points to a broader shift in his relationship with the national team. Maguire said he was confident after the season he had, yet Tuchel handed him his first call-up in March. That call-up came after he helped revive United’s season following the departure of former coach Ruben Amorim.
Before that return under Tuchel, Maguire had been frozen out of the national team since September 2024.
In recent years, his place in the squad has also come under pressure from younger defenders. Having been an integral part of Gareth Southgate’s England, Maguire has fallen behind players like Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa.
The sequence—frozen out from September 2024. recalled in March. then omitted from the World Cup squad for the United States. Canada and Mexico—leaves no room for ambiguity about the mood shift. Maguire’s own words capture it: the confidence he says he carried into this summer has not matched the final decision from Tuchel’s group.
With Tuchel set to confirm the squad on Friday, England’s tournament roster will be the official answer to what Maguire couldn’t hide on Thursday. For him, the World Cup is now a place he watches from home, even as he insists he believed he could contribute.
Harry Maguire England World Cup squad Thomas Tuchel Manchester United United States Canada Mexico Gareth Southgate Marc Guehi Ezri Konsa
Tuchel probably just hates him or something, this is getting ridiculous.
Shocked and gutted?? Dude he’s 33, I mean teams move on. But why wait till Friday to confirm the roster, seems messy.
They say he was frozen out since September 2024 then called back March and now omitted… so basically he was never in the plan. Also I swear England always keeps changing their mind like every year.
I don’t even get it because he played in 2018 semi and 2020 final and all that. Then one bad match vs Japan and suddenly he’s done? That feels more like politics than soccer. And people blaming injuries like it’s his fault… idk, I’m just sad for him.