Harry Maguire has escaped to Barbados with his wife Fern after being left “shocked and gutted” by his exclusion from England’s World Cup squad — with his family’s very public fury at Thomas Tuchel’s decision prompting a pointed response from the England manager, who described Maguire’s reaction as “not necessary.”
The Manchester United defender had been widely expected to make Tuchel’s 26-man squad for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, but found out last week he had not been selected. Photographs shared on Instagram showed Maguire making the most of his extended summer break in Barbados, enjoying a round of golf with England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford — who was about to fly out to join the Three Lions training camp — before relaxing on the beach with Fern, who posted images of the couple on the island.
Maguire confirmed his omission via social media in a statement that left little doubt about his feelings. “I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had,” he wrote. “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. I wish the players all the best this summer.”
The reaction from his family was considerably more forceful. His mother Zoe described the decision as “absolutely disgusting” and “disgraceful” on social media, while his brothers Joe and Laurence also waded in — Joe calling it “the worst decision I’ve ever seen” and Laurence dismissing it as “a shambles.” His wife Fern wrote on Instagram: “Beyond devastated for you. There was nothing else you could have possibly done to prove your worth. I don’t need to tell you how admired you are, just a shame you were up against a single opinion. Forever behind you my love.” His younger sister Daisy also posted publicly in support, calling it a “crazy decision.”
Tuchel, who also omitted Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Trent Alexander-Arnold and left backs Lewis Hall and Luke Shaw from his final squad, defended his selection philosophy at a press conference on Friday. “It’s not necessarily the best and most talented player who is picked — it’s the best team,” he said. “It comes down to who do we really trust? Who delivered? Who helped with the culture? Who are the leaders? It’s about the energy, the connection and the trust.”
On Maguire specifically, Tuchel acknowledged his quality but made clear he had been unimpressed with the public response. “I respected his personality and quality a lot, he had an outstanding season,” the manager said. “But still, I was a bit surprised because we had a private conversation when he could express his feelings and that was fair enough. I felt his disappointment. I felt that he was upset. But it’s just a decision, not a personal decision, just a decision for someone else. It was not necessary, let’s put it like this.”
Maguire, a childhood sweetheart of Fern who married her in France in the summer of 2022, has been a regular fixture for England since breaking through at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The couple share two daughters, Lillie Saint and Piper Rose. England’s opening group match at the tournament is against Croatia on 17 June — a game Maguire will be watching from afar.
