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Manchester United veteran center back Harry Maguire has anticipated his omission from England's final 26-man World Cup squad ahead of Friday's official announcement, prompting an emotional statement he shared publicly 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 posted on Thursday evening. "I've been left shocked and gutted by the decision.
"I've loved nothing more than pulling on that shirt and representing my country over the years. I wish the players all the best this summer."
Maguire, 33, returned to the England fold during the March international window, playing the full 90 minutes in a friendly against Uruguay that ended 1–1. He also made a brief substitute appearance in the next game, a 1–0 defeat to Japan. Those were his first international outings since September 2024.
The Englishman has earned 66 caps since his international debut in 2017, including seven goals. He was a key figure in England's 2018 World Cup semifinal run and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, starting every game across both tournaments. He also wore the captain's armband for the Three Lions on multiple occasions.
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Maguire has been very candid about his desire to feature in this summer's World Cup, passionately defending his ability to perform on football's biggest stage.
"Yes, of course, I'm desperate to go," Maguire told reporters in April. "I think it would be my last World Cup for my country. I've been to two, I missed out on the Euros two years ago through injury, which just hurt a lot really. So I'm desperate to go, whatever role the manager would want me for.
"Whether that's starting or whether it's deciding games late on. I still believe, even at my age, I'm arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes. I don't think that's to question really. That can be really effective later on in games, whether you're holding on to a lead or trying to chase a game. I still think there's an important part that I can play in, that I can help."
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He has backed up that self-belief impressively this spring, flourishing under United's interim manager Michael Carrick, who stepped in for Ruben Amorim in January. Shortly after recovering from a hamstring injury that month, Maguire cemented his place in the starting lineup, with Carrick recognizing qualities in him that Amorim had overlooked.
The defensive stalwart has made 24 appearances across all competitions this season and proved a crucial contributor to United's climb up the Premier League table, helping the club secure their primary objective of Champions League qualification. He signed a contract extension last month tying him to the red half of Manchester until June 2027, indicating he still has plenty to offer.
Clearly, his World Cup pedigree and recent resurgence in form haven't been enough to convince England manager Thomas Tuchel, who appears to favor the likes of Manchester City's John Stones, Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa, and City's Marc Guéhi as more dependable options.
England open their World Cup campaign on June 17 against Group L opponents Croatia in Arlington, Texas. The Three Lions then head to Foxborough, Massachusetts to take on Ghana on June 23. The side wraps up the group stage against Panama on June 27 in East Rutherford, New Jersey before the knockout rounds get underway.