
He may not be in the England squad for the World Cup, but that has not stopped Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire from giving his perspective on why he is not with the Three Lions in Kansas City.
When England's squad was announced last month, Maguire's omission was a huge talking point. He had been a vital part of United's revival under Michael Carrick, and for England, he was a big personality in a national team which the nation has fallen in love with.
But in the eyes of manager Thomas Tuchel, Maguire is not the right fit for this squad, and instead has opted for centre-backs which he has used throughout England's qualifying campaign.
Maguire's omission from England's World Cup squad was leaked in the days leading up to the official announcement, which led to statements from the player himself and his mother, which was met with some criticism.
Appearing on The Rest is Football, Maguire revealed that Tuchel broke the news of his omission from the squad on FaceTime, and described the ordeal as "an awkward call".
"It’s quite an awkward call. It probably makes it harder for himself to see our reactions and things like that," Maguire said.
"But he said that he’s gone with the four lads that got him through the qualifying, but he did say that he can’t really give me an excuse.
"We had a few words."
According to Maguire, his disappointment was more due to the fact that he wanted to be a part of the squad rather than being the first name on the teamsheet.
"I’m quite a big personality, I’m experienced and I was really disappointed. I wanted to go to the World Cup and play.
"So, I wanted to go and not just play, but I told the manager I wasn’t demanding to go and start the games, I’d have been happy to play one minute as long as I was there with the lads."
There is no doubt Tuchel will have seen Maguire's recent comments, and it may have confirmed that he made the right decision in omitting Maguire.
Along with producing results on the pitch, Tuchel needs to keep his squad harmonious, and he has attempted to maintain it by rarely deviating from the players that have played a major role in a spotless qualifying campaign.
Unfortunately for Maguire, he did not play a role in the qualifiers, but he was given a chance in the March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. For one reason or another, Maguire did not impress, and Tuchel had made up his mind.
Seeing how Maguire and members of his family have reacted to not making England's World Cup squad is one which has been criticised, and his comments on The Rest is Football have generated a similar reaction.
If a player has been left out of an England squad, but feels they deserve to be there, then the best way to get back in is to have a strong start to the domestic season, but putting out statements can bring a sense of entitlement.
It's not just in the immediate future where Maguire may have muddied the waters, but also in preparations for Euro 2028 which will immediately come into view after the World Cup with England a host nation.
If Maguire is willing to speak in public about his interactions with Tuchel, then maybe he is someone that the England manager does not want around the squad if he has to be on his guard about any decisions which could effect the 33-year-old.
The German now needs to hope he has made the right decision, and we won't know until the Three Lions begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday.
If England's defence is solid, then many will be wondering what all the fuss was about and the outrage surrounding Maguire's omission. But if it all goes wrong, then Tuchel will have plenty of questions asked as to whether he regrets not bringing Maguire across the Atlantic.
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