Harry Maguire has described his expected omission from England's World Cup squad as a 'shock', saying he is 'gutted' to be left out. The Manchester United defender, 33, appeared to confirm the news in a social media statement on Thursday evening, ahead of Thomas Tuchel's official squad announcement on Friday morning.
Maguire had earned a recall for March's international friendlies after a strong second half of the season under Michael Carrick, helping United secure a Champions League place with a third‑place Premier League finish. However, reports on Thursday suggested he would not be included in the 26-man squad for this summer's tournament.
In his statement, Maguire wrote: '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.'
The centre-back also missed out on Gareth Southgate's squad for Euro 2024, with his last major tournament appearance coming at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Tuchel had previously indicated that Maguire was not among his first-choice options, saying in March: 'I see other players I like to start for us, I see other players ahead with a different profile. I see Ezri Konsa ahead, I see Marc Guehi ahead. It’s no secret. I see Trevoh Chalobah on the level of mobility was slightly ahead of him.'
The manager is expected to name Konsa and Guehi as his first-choice pairing, with John Stones also likely to be included despite limited game time at Manchester City. Dan Burn, a regular under Tuchel, offers versatility on the left, while Levi Colwill—who returned from an ACL injury in recent weeks—and Chalobah are also set to miss out.
