Harry Maguire has been excluded from England’s roster for the upcoming World Cup this summer.
Thomas Tuchel has started notifying players about their selection status—be it inclusion or exclusion—prior to the official squad announcement scheduled for Friday morning. Maguire’s omission was the first significant announcement made, confirmed on Thursday evening.
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is also anticipated to be left out of Tuchel’s 26-man England squad. Additionally, Chelsea playmaker Cole Palmer is another notable player expected to miss the cut.
Harry Maguire in action for England in March (Getty)
TalkSport first reported Maguire’s absence from the World Cup, which will take place in the US, Canada, and Mexico, before Maguire confirmed it in a statement on social media.
“I was confident I could have played a significant role this summer for my country after the season I’ve had,” Maguire remarked on Twitter. “I’m shocked and devastated by the decision. I’ve cherished every moment representing my country and wish the players all the best this summer.”
The 33-year-old centre-back has been a crucial player under former manager Gareth Southgate, contributing to England’s semi-final run in the 2018 World Cup, the Euro 2020 final, and their quarter-final appearance in the 2022 World Cup. A calf injury kept him from participating in Euro 2024, where England reached yet another final before Southgate’s resignation.
This season, Maguire faced nearly two months out for Manchester United due to thigh issues, but he has since returned to play, making 24 appearances in all competitions this term.
Maguire’s omission is a bold decision by England manager Thomas Tuchel (Getty)
Maguire boasts 66 caps for England, with his last two appearances occurring during friendly matches in March; he played the full match in a 1-1 draw against Uruguay and came on late in a 0-1 defeat to Japan.
Prior to these outings, he had not been part of any of Tuchel’s squads since he took on the managerial role in late 2024, largely due to his injury troubles.
With his exclusion, England will be missing a seasoned tournament player on June 17, when they face Croatia in Dallas, Texas, followed by matches against Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 27, which will conclude their group stage.
Maguire’s absence may pave the way for Dan Burn and potentially Levi Colwill or Jarell Quansah. Burn, Colwill, and Quansah are leading contenders for Tuchel’s squad.
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden (Getty)
On another note, Man City’s John Stones and Marc Guehi are likely to be included in the squad, while Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa is also a strong candidate for selection.
In contrast, Foden may not be as fortunate; the midfielder is expected to be omitted from the squad on Friday. While Foden’s talents have shone at Man City, he hasn’t consistently translated that excellence to the national team.