England team: defender Harry Maguire details World Cup exemption via video call with Tuchel

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire revealed how he was informed about his exclusion from England’s final squad list for the 2026 World Cup. In a recent interview with the podcast *The Rest is Football World Cup*, the defender described that the news of his cut came via a video call made by Thomas Tuchel, the English team’s coach.

Absent from the squad for the World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the player admitted that the interaction with the German coach was quite unpleasant.

“He made a video call to everyone. It was a very awkward conversation. I received a message saying: ‘Can I speak to you at around 4pm?'”, said Maguire, in statements published by the British newspaper *The Sun*.

Upon being informed of the coach’s decision, the defender expressed his immediate reaction.

“I said straight away that I was really very disappointed. I thought I had done enough to be in the group and I thought I could help the team on and off the field,” he declared.

According to Maguire’s report, Tuchel justified his choice by mentioning that he preferred to keep the defenders who had been present since the beginning of his tenure with the national team.

“He said he couldn’t give me a specific excuse, but that he chose the four players who accompanied him during the autumn,” explained the defender.

The decision dealt a blow to Maguire, especially as he felt he had regained his position in the national team following a remarkable performance for Manchester United during the season. The defender had returned to the squad in March’s friendlies and was expected to secure a place on the definitive list for the tournament.

“It was difficult to accept. I really thought I would be in the squad after being called up to the March group for the first time with him. I did very well in both games and finished the season very strongly at Manchester United,” he said.

Maguire also assured that he has no plans to leave the England team. At 33 years old, he believes he can still contribute to future calls.

“I’m not thinking about retiring from England. I still feel like I have something to offer. There will come a time when maybe I don’t deserve to be called up, but I probably wouldn’t even announce my retirement then. If I won one more cap for the national team, it would be worth it,” he said.

The defender’s absence attracted attention due to his long career with the English shirt. With 66 matches played for the main team, Maguire was a constant figure in recent major tournaments and became one of the leaders of the squad, which intensifies the impact of such a direct cut.

After the squad list was released, the player published a message on social media, expressing his frustration with the decision.

“I was confident that I could play an important role this summer for my country after the season I had. I was shocked and devastated by the decision. Nothing has made me more proud than wearing this shirt and representing my country over the years,” he wrote.

The dissatisfaction was shared by his family. His wife, Fern Maguire, said she was “devastated” by the exclusion, while his mother, Zoe, called the decision “absolutely shameful”.

When asked about the matter, Tuchel expressed his understanding for the player’s disappointment, but reiterated the validity of his choice.

“He had an exceptional season. I can completely understand the disappointment and the reasons for it. But we decided to keep the defenders who accompanied us in recent months and helped establish the team’s standards”, explained the coach.