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Harry Maguire made sure Thomas Tuchel was fully aware of his frustration over his shock exclusion from England's World Cup squad, refusing to accept the decision quietly during what he described as an "awkward call" with the manager.
Having returned to top form for a Manchester United side that claimed third place in the Premier League, Maguire appeared to be a certainty to feature at a third World Cup with the Three Lions.
Following nearly two years away from international duty, Maguire's revival at club level earned him an England recall during the March international window. The centre-back picked up his 65th and 66th caps in those fixtures against Japan and Uruguay.
However, Tuchel opted for John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah as his central defensive choices. Even when right back Tino Livramento was ruled out through injury and a centre-back was brought in as cover, the manager turned to Trevoh Chalobah rather than Maguire.
Burn (8), Quansah (3) and Chalobah (1) all arrive with fewer than 10 senior caps to their names. Stones—with 89 caps—is the only selected defender to have featured more than 30 times for England.
Tuchel cited "credit in the bank" as a factor in Stones earning his squad place. The Manchester City defender, who partnered Maguire at the core of England's backline at the 2018 World Cup, started just five Premier League games throughout the past season. That same "credit" was not extended to Maguire.
The Manchester United defender made his displeasure known on social media when the World Cup snub was announced, with his family also publicly backing him. Maguire has since revealed that news of his omission had already been leaked to the press before Tuchel personally called him to deliver the verdict.
Maguire: I Thought I Did Enough
"He FaceTimes everyone. It's quite an awkward call," Maguire said during his appearance on The Rest Is Football, Gary Lineker's podcast being livestreamed daily by Netflix throughout the World Cup.
"Something got out in the media about half an hour before I was told that my spot was in doubt. That was the most frustrating part. It came as a shock at the time. I said straight away that it was a surprise. I was genuinely gutted.
"We exchanged a few words. I'm quite a strong character. I'm experienced. It was an honest conversation between the two of us. He openly admitted that he couldn't really give me a clear reason. I felt I had done enough to be included. And I believed I could have contributed out there.
"I thought I would still have had a role to play on the pitch, and in the dressing room too."
Maguire England Future in Doubt
A near-automatic selection when available throughout much of Gareth Southgate's tenure as England boss, Maguire now faces a steep challenge to reclaim a regular spot given that Tuchel has made his preferences abundantly clear.
Maguire is more of a conventional defender and does not possess the same technical qualities as those who have been selected for this World Cup in his place. A future recall looks unlikely, particularly for a player who will turn 35 shortly before the next major tournament: Euro 2028.
Should this prove to be the end of Maguire's England career, he can reflect proudly on his international legacy. He had earned just five caps when Southgate handed him a starting role at the 2018 World Cup, as England ended a long-standing drought to reach the semifinals. Maguire was part of the squad again three summers on when the Three Lions reached their first major final in 55 years at Euro 2020.
Maguire's era has reshaped expectations of what it means to represent England and what a once-underachieving nation can accomplish on the world stage.