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England continue to feel the absence of Harry Maguire amid ongoing defensive concerns during their pursuit of 2026 World Cup glory, with Danny Mills offering insight to GOAL on why the Manchester United centre-back has been left out for a second time. Maguire, initially omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad, was again overlooked when Tino Livramento withdrew due to injury and a replacement was required, despite questions about leadership in defence.

Despite his strong end-of-season form for Manchester United, which helped the club secure a third-place Premier League finish and Champions League qualification, Maguire was unable to earn a recall. The 33-year-old, capped 66 times for England, has consistently delivered for the Three Lions but now finds himself behind John Stones, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Dan Burn, and Jarell Quansah in Tuchel’s selection order. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Maguire revealed how Tuchel informed him of the decision: “He FaceTimes everyone. It’s quite an awkward call.”

Stones and Konsa started England’s World Cup opener against Croatia, a match in which defensive lapses were evident in the first half before England eventually prevailed 4-2 in Texas.

Addressing the issue of leadership at the back, former England right-back Danny Mills, speaking to GOAL on behalf of betTOM, said: “Heading into the tournament, defence was always going to be the main concern — particularly as you progress deeper and face top-quality teams in the later stages. Finding the right balance with the chosen squad was never going to be simple.”

He continued: “I was slightly surprised by the Stones and Konsa pairing. I’ve always said, if Stones is fit, he plays — he’s a fantastic defender. But I would have partnered him with Marc Guehi. They’ve trained together regularly at Manchester City, they understand each other’s game very well.”

“Reece James is a superb full-back and an excellent footballer. On the left, Nico O’Reilly has done really well for Manchester City, but my concern is that he’s stronger going forward than defending, and can sometimes drift out of position. So yes, I was surprised by Harry Maguire’s omission.”

Mills added: “Looking at the defensive options overall, I wonder how many of those players would genuinely start for England if everyone were fit. Some might only feature if there were several injuries. Maguire, on the other hand, offers versatility — he can slot into a back three or even be used as an aerial threat up front if required.”

“Defensive issues still linger, though the second-half performance against Croatia was excellent. There will, however, be tougher tests ahead.”

When Newcastle’s Tino Livramento was forced to withdraw, England had another chance to recall Maguire. Instead, Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, who has only one senior cap, received the call-up — a decision that raised eyebrows once more.

Asked whether Maguire’s post-snub comments might have influenced Tuchel’s stance, Mills explained: “When the squad was first announced three or four weeks ago, Tuchel likely told four or five players to stay fit and ready on standby in case of injuries. That’s never easy — most players are either at the World Cup or on holiday, but those on standby have to keep training alone and be prepared.”

“That’s probably why Chalobah was chosen — he was likely among those told to remain ready in the event of an injury.”

Maguire, who missed Euro 2024 due to a calf injury, now finds himself watching from a distance as Tuchel continues to prefer other defensive options. This could signal the end of his international career.

With three points secured and early momentum building in North America, England will next face Ghana at Gillette Stadium — home of the New England Patriots — on Tuesday, as they aim to end a six-decade-long wait for a major trophy.