Harry Maguire opens up on the FaceTime call from Thomas Tuchel that ended his World Cup dream: ‘He couldn’t really give me an excuse’

Harry Maguire said his FaceTime call with Thomas Tuchel where he learned that he would not be joining the England squad at this summer’s World Cup as ‘awkward’.

The Manchester United centre back, 33, was one of the surprise omissions from Tuchel’s squad after nine years spent as one of the cornerstones of the Three Lions’ back line.

When first learning the news, he described how he had been left ‘shocked and gutted’, while his family also weighed in, his mother Zoe saying she was ‘disgusted’ and his wife Fern saying she was ‘beyond devastated’ for him.

Revealing that the call had occurred over FaceTime, Maguire told Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Joe Cole on The Rest is Football: ‘(Tuchel) speaks to everyone, to be fair. So he FaceTimes everyone… Yeah, it’s quite an awkward call… 

‘It’s quite a unique way to do it. It makes it harder probably for himself to see our reactions and things like that.’

Maguire, who has earned 66 caps for England, has represented the Three Lions at three major tournaments but was also left out of England’s squad for Euro 2024 after failing to recover from an injury.

Maguire, who has recently a new contract at United, had been hopeful of inclusion after turning his career around this season under manager Michael Carrick. 

The defender featured in all of England’s matches at the last two World Cups, helping the Three Lions to reach the semi-finals at Russia 2018 and the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022.

However, Maguire has featured in just three of England’s internationals since Euro 2024. He started in the first match of Lee Carsley’s interim spell against the Republic of Ireland in September 2024. 

His only appearances under Tuchel came in the most recent international friendlies in March.

‘He really said that he can’t really give me an excuse,’ Maguire continued, ‘but I think he said that he’s gone with the four lads that he got through the qualifying in the autumn, in the autumn camps where he felt like they did well during them six games. 

‘But he did say that he can’t really give me an excuse. But listen, that’s football. It was tough to take.’

Depite initially joining on an 18-month contract which was scheduled to run until this summer’s World Cup, Tuchel signed a two-year contract extension in February, taking him through to Euro 2028.

This could spell the end for Maguire’s international career, or at least his World Cup career, given he is now reaching his twilight years at 33.

Reflecting on this, Maguire added: ‘I’m 33 now, so 37 at the next World Cup. It looks far away. So I wanted to go, not just play, but like I told the manager, I wasn’t demanding to go and start the games. 

Maguire is making the most of his extended summer break as he jetted to St Tropez for a lavish getaway with wife Fern

The footballer looked in good spirits in new Instagram photos as he enjoyed a luxury helicopter ride in the South of France after failing to make Tuchel’s team for the tournament

‘I’d have been happy to play one minute as long as I was there with the lads. So no, it was disappointing.’

Maguire has been busy distracting himself from the pain of missing out on the competition, jetting off on two extravagant holidays in the last few weeks with wife Fern, the pair only yesterday sharing pictures of themselves enjoying a helicopter ride in Saint Tropez.

After already soaking up the sun this month in the Caribbean with his family, the couple looked relaxed as they spent time with friends in the South of France.

England are set to get their World Cup campaign underway on Wednesday night when they take on Croatia in Dallas (9pm UK).

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