Harry Maguire faces a significant threat to his England career after a Greek appeals court upheld his conviction for assault and bribery stemming from a 2020 incident on the island of Mykonos, ending a six-year legal effort to clear his name.
The Manchester United defender, who was not present at the hearing, had his original 21-month suspended sentence reduced to 15 months and 20 days, accompanied by a €1,500 fine. While his legal team cannot lodge a further appeal against the conviction itself, they retain the option to challenge specific points of law before a higher court.
The ruling carries immediate practical consequences for the 32-year-old beyond the courtroom. This summer’s World Cup, co-hosted by the United States and Mexico, requires players to obtain entry visas for the American leg of the tournament. Maguire will be obliged to declare his criminal record as part of that application process, creating genuine uncertainty over whether he will be permitted to travel — and potentially placing his place in the England squad in jeopardy.
The prosecution lawyer representing the Greek police officers involved, Ioannis Paradisis, delivered a pointed response to the outcome. “His made-up story was not believed by the court and he was convicted again,” he told The Sun, describing Maguire and his co-defendants as “a disgrace to their country and football too.” Paradisis also questioned how Premier League authorities could allow a player with a criminal conviction for violence to continue playing without facing disciplinary action, and called for a public apology from Maguire, whom he described as “totally unrepentant and arrogant.”
The incident in question took place during a family holiday when Maguire was on a night out with his wife, sister Daisy, brother Joe and a group of friends. Maguire has consistently maintained that trouble began when two men approached his sister and she appeared to lose consciousness. When three plain-clothed officers arrived at the scene, Maguire has said he had no indication they were police and believed the group was facing a kidnapping attempt. He alleged the officers struck him and threatened to end his football career.
Maguire’s brother Joe received a partial outcome from the court, with judges acquitting him of attempted bribery while upholding charges of aggravated assault and verbal abuse against officers.
Despite the verdict, Maguire is expected to start for Manchester United against Newcastle United this evening. The question of his World Cup availability is now likely to dominate the coming weeks, with the visa application process and its outcome set to determine whether he can feature in England’s summer campaign.
