Tuchel Rules Out Maguire’s England Return Over Public Reaction

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted that the public reaction from Harry Maguire and his family over his omission from the 2026 World Cup squad has made it difficult for the defender to return to the national team.

Maguire was not called up for the latest international camp. The Manchester United defender last featured for England during the March international window, but Tuchel once again opted for other players.

The exclusion of Maguire from the squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup was one of Tuchel’s most notable decisions. Following the squad announcement, the defender expressed that he had expected to play a key role in the tournament and admitted the coach’s decision came as a shock.

Maguire’s mother, Zoe, also publicly voiced her displeasure on social media, writing that she was “absolutely outraged.”

Tuchel indicated that this episode has affected his view of Maguire. When asked about the player’s public response to being left out of the World Cup squad, the coach said, “That doesn’t help.”

However, Tuchel stressed he does not intend to keep Maguire sidelined indefinitely because of what happened.

“I’m not going to hold this against him for the rest of his life because I’m not that kind of person. I forget things easily and quickly,” the manager explained.

But he added, “That said, I didn’t like it, and it doesn’t help. I haven’t spoken to him since.”

Maguire has earned 66 caps for England. Before the March international window, he missed 15 national team matches as Tuchel preferred players like Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, and John Stones in defense.