Harry Maguire found out his World Cup dreams were over the way most of us find out bad news in 2026: through a screen. The Manchester United center-back has revealed that England manager Thomas Tuchel delivered the blow via FaceTime, telling him he would not be part of the 26-man squad heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The fallout went public fast
Maguire didn’t sit quietly with the decision. He took to Instagram after the squad announcement on May 22, 2026, saying he felt “shocked and gutted” by the exclusion.
Tuchel’s response suggested he wasn’t thrilled about the public airing. The England manager indicated he’d already had a private conversation with Maguire about his status, and described the Instagram post as “not necessary.”
Fellow players like Kyle Walker expressed surprise at the decision. Even former England manager Gareth Southgate weighed in with comments about Maguire’s omission.
