Harry Maguire left 'gutted' as Manchester United star handed shock World Cup snub | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel left unconvinced by experienced centre-back’s form

Harry Maguire has been left “shocked” by Thomas Tuchel’s decision to leave him out of England’s World Cup squad.

The Manchester United centre-back has enjoyed an impressive campaign, but will not be named in Thomas Tuchel’s tournament squad when it is released on Friday.

Maguire, 33, has made 22 Premier League appearances this campaign, keeping seven clean sheets in doing so. As with many of his United team-mates, he has been particularly strong since Michael Carrick’s appointment.

Harry Maguire has 66 England caps but will not play at this summer’s World Cup

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Maguire slammed the decision in a statement shared on his Instagram page, saying he was left “shocked and gutted.”

He wrote: “I was confident I could of 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’ve loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years.

Maguire finds himself in the same boat as his United team-mate Luke Shaw, who has also missed out on the squad. That is a less surprising call, though, given the full-back has yet to play for England under Tuchel.

Maguire has 66 caps to his name and represented England in friendlies against Uruguay and Japan in March.

He was part of England’s tournament squads for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and also played a key role at Euro 2020.

Speaking in March, Tuchel revealed he considered Maguire his fifth-choice centre-back.

He said: “I'm a big fan [of Maguire] and I know what he brings to the team in terms of personality, attitude and quality game understanding.

“I haven't changed my mind, but I see other players I like to start for us, I see other players ahead with a different profile.

Snubbed: Harry Maguire was left ‘shocked’ by Thomas Tuchel’s decision not to take him to the World Cup

“I see Ezri Konsa ahead, I see Marc Guehi ahead. It's no secret. I see Trevoh Chalobah, on the level of mobility, as slightly ahead of him.

“Also John Stones, but he had injuries so he needed to come in camp.

“I needed to meet him [Maguire] in person to see how he acts within the group. It will be interesting now to see how he acts within the group.

“Like I said, he has an asset. of course, that he can also be super-important in a tournament, in knockout football, in defending a lead and chasing a game with crosses and long throw-ins and set-pieces.”

England will face New Zealand and Costa Rica in pre-tournament friendlies in early June. They then face Croatia in their first World Cup group stage match on June 17, with matches against Ghana and Panama to follow.