England manager Thomas Tuchel insists Harry Maguire is still at least a fifth-choice centre-back, in what appears to be a major blow to England’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup.
Maguire returned to national team preparations in Friday’s 1-1 friendly against Uruguay and appeared to strengthen his case for being on a plane to North America in the summer after putting in a fine performance.
Making his first appearance under Tuchel, he played the second half as captain with the class that has characterized his England career.
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Manager Tuchel was not very happy with referee Sven Jablonski’s performance in England’s match against Uruguay.
The German acknowledged the strengths of Manchester United’s defenders, but said they were still placed behind Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, John Stones and the injured Trevor Chalobah in the pecking order.
“I played as a solid central defender as I expected,” he said. “That’s his job: very good on the ball, very calm, strong in the air and set-piece.
“I haven’t changed my mind, but there are other players I would like to start with and I think there are other players ahead with a different profile.
“You can see Ezri Konsa in front, you can see Marc Gehi in front. It’s no secret. You can see that in terms of mobility, Trevo Chalobah was slightly better.”
“Like John Stones, he had an injury so he had to come to camp.
“I needed to meet him in person to see how he acts in the group. It’s going to be interesting to see how he acts in the group.”
“As I said, of course he has the advantage that he can be very important in tournaments, in knockout football, defending leads and chasing games with crosses, long throw-ins and set-pieces.”
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Saturday’s social panel will discuss which number 10 will be selected for England’s World Cup squad and who will miss out.
Asked if he would be in the squad if he had to name the team now, Tuchel said: “If, if, if. There’s no need to say the team name tomorrow. He played a good game.”
“He did what he had to do for Man United. He did it right away. I’m very happy for him. To be honest, my opinion hasn’t changed. I got everything I expected from him.”
“If we were to make a pick tomorrow, we have a lot of injuries, but there’s a chance he could play. Who else would we have in the center of defense?”
Tuchel: I’m a big Stones fan
Maguire (left) competes with John Stones for a World Cup spot
Stones continues to be frustrated by injuries, and did not play in the game against Uruguay after feeling pain in his calf during training.He was sent back to Manchester City for treatment and will not play in Tuesday’s friendly against Japan.
The defender has played just five games for his club since the November international break and has struggled to find consistency.
Despite this, Tuchel said he had “credibility” and described himself as “world class”.
Asked if he would make an exception for Stones’ lack of playing time, Tuchel said: “I don’t know yet, but if he’s going to play in the World Cup, he should be fit.”
“So when he came (to camp), he was healthy. He didn’t get a lot of minutes, but he had some understanding of the game.
“So the exception to the rule means he won’t start that many times. I understand that because I’m a big fan and I know what he brings to the team in terms of personality, attitude and quality understanding of the game.”
In addition to Stones’ departure, the Football Association announced that Aaron Ramsdale, Fikayo Tomori, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Adam Wharton, Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka will leave the England camp ahead of the match against Japan at Wembley.
Analysis: Maguire played as if he’d never left England
Maguire scores a header in draw against Uruguay
Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones reports from Wembley after England’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay:
When the England squad was announced, one of the key decisions that was probably overlooked was Maguire’s return to the England squad. But Maguire is used to it when acting for his country.
This is a player who is completely underrated for his consistent performances during England’s most successful period in history. There’s a good reason he was always the first name on Gareth Southgate’s team sheet. And in his first start since 2024, he made a big splash in key moments of matches, as he has done throughout his England career, as if he had never been away.
He was a constant threat inside the opposition box, creating attacks through his lines with smart passes and even had time to thread a 70-yard pass into the path of Jarrod Bowen.
England needed him for the final kick of the match as well, and he threw himself out in stoppage time to take a goalbound shot. His experience in major tournaments and his affinity with the kit now mean he is guaranteed a place in the 26-man squad.
What’s next for England?
On Tuesday, England host Japan in a friendly at Wembley. Kickoff at 7:45 p.m.
It will be Tuchel’s last chance to watch his players on an international stage before announcing his World Cup squad at the end of the season.
England will then play World Cup warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica before opening the tournament against Croatia on June 17th.
